


Food Fantasy! Shokugeki no Sōma

by Soul_Chicken_Soup



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game), 食戟のソーマ | Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma
Genre: As Factual as Possible, Food Fantasy AU, More Characters in Fandom, Multi, One-Sided Attraction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Reverse Harem (one-sided)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2019-10-23 15:19:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 40,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17685980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soul_Chicken_Soup/pseuds/Soul_Chicken_Soup
Summary: The Tōtsuki Culinary Guild is an exclusive school in the Light Kingdom for Cooking Attendants and young cooks. Ruling over this school for developing chefs is Senzaemon Nakiri, the current Director and his Food Soul, Peking Duck. At his request, a young man named Sōma Yukihira, a young chef who had only recently summoned a Food Soul named Cookie, will become a student that will revolutionize the cooking world and the understanding of Food Souls.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story on Archive. This story is also available on Fanfiction under Food Wars only. Please leave a review and kudos!
> 
> All rights go to Yūto Tsukada, Shun Saeki, Yuki Morisaki, and Elex.

**Dis. _Gus._ _Sting._**

The redhead chuckled darkly at the revolting taste of the latest creation made by his newest companion.

"I know, it's horrible," the chipper voice of said companion laughed. "Nothing hurts just trying random stuff in bread."

"You are learning faster than even I could have guessed." A black loaf of bread with pieces of olives and sardines revealed from where the bread was cut laid discarded on the plastic wrap. "The bread is fluffy, but the sardines soaked in honey throws it into a bitter flavor, and not a savory bitterness."

"You just wait, I can probably make olive cookies next time." The youthful Food Soul pointed to herself proudly. "You'll be the first on the list to try it out, Attendant Sōma."

"I'm actually going to look forward to that."

Cookie was her name. A Food Soul that came into the life of a boy named Sōma Yukihira when he summoned her. How the boy who worked at a family diner in a lively town could get access to summoning crystals was, as Cookie would put it, the moment of truth, if he was powerful enough to summon a companion. That was almost a month ago.

An elderly stranger had come into the restaurant after the boy's father, the owner of the diner, had closed early for the day. Sōma's dad explained that the man was an "old friend" that wanted to meet his son in person. After being served by Sōma and his dad, the stranger paid with money and a tip to the boy: a bag of crystals to summon a Food Soul. The owner of the diner was against the idea of his son becoming a Cooking Attendant, but the man pushed him to allow Sōma to at least try. The result was a Food Soul that none of the men had ever seen before.

_"Cool! A new face! I'm Cookie, collector of new ideas!"_

The cheerful, red-violet eyed Food Soul with beige skin that appeared before Sōma was quickly accepted by the man in charge, as she had a similar ideology to his family's own. The stranger took his leave, promising to meet Sōma again and see how he's changed now that he had a Food Soul to call his own. As of that night, Sōma Yukihira had become a Cooking Attendant with his first Food Soul and assistant.

True to her nature of being a Food Soul, Cookie hadn't changed since she was summoned. Her chocolate brown headband with white stitches resembling sprinkles did little to keep her bangs from falling over her left eye. A majority of her long, honey blonde hair was tied back in two ponytails with white meringue cookie charms on the hair ties. Her ears were pierced on her lower lobes with chocolate chip shaped studs and helix copper earrings shaped like peanuts. She wore her funky, flowy golden brown tank top with the yellow ribbon around the hips that secured the folds. Her black capris leggings with several colored pom poms fitted nicely under her knee-length khaki shorts with powdered sugar-like dust on the pockets. She still wore those ankle high boots that were mixes of pale red, yellow and green with cream white soles as well.

Outside of the kitchen, Cookie also wore a black porkpie hat with a white ribbon and mint leaf shaped adornments. The hat was currently hanging on the doorknob of the backdoor to the family restaurant along with her cream yellow cape with its jam cookie button and white pom poms. Her cape was an interesting accessory because it magically dropped sprinkle-like confetti whenever the Food Soul had it on.

The backdoor opened up and the Cooking Attendant and Food Soul turned towards the entrance. A man with messy, pale red hair stepped halfway through the doorway.

"Sōma, it's time for our cook off," the man told them. Sōma instantly smirked and got to his feet.

"Cookie, wrap up your bread and watch the fireworks." The girl companion sprung to her feet with the black bread already wrapped in the plastic wrap as she fetched her hat and cape.

"Oh, by the way," the man continued, "we brought in a newcomer for the judging. Cookie can step down for this one."

"What?" Cookie whined with a small pout. The man chuckled.

"Don't worry, there will still be plenty for you."

"You better hope so, Jōichirō."

* * *

 

"How many losses is that again?" Cookie asked as she stole a bowl of her Master Attendant's fried rice after the tasting at the mouth of one of Sōma's classmates before the rest and Jōichirō's batch were served to the customers for free. Once again, the younger redhead lost.

"Don't rub it in, Cookie, but I will accept the loss today," Sōma pouted.

"In order for you to say that, you'd have to defeat me at least once," Jōichirō chastised his son. "It's a winning streak of around 500 on my end." The bright redhead gawked and turned at the older man angrily.

"Don't get cocky! It was only 489!"

"Um, Sōma…" a timid voice called. Cookie turned towards the girl who was the judge this time for the common cook off. She believed her name was Mayumi, as Sōma had called her by name earlier. Her form trembled a little as she spoke to the younger chef. "Yours was really good too. I've never had fried rice like the way you made it before."

Cookie looked at her Master Attendant, who was sulking in the doorway to the fridges and ingredients. Then, she smirked with Mayumi unable to see the mischievous look on her face.

"Would you like to make him feel better?" she asked.

"Oh, are you, uh, Sōma's Food Soul that he's been talking about?"

"That's right, and I made something around noon before he got back from school. I'm sure he would feel better if you try some yourself."

"Sure. If it's anything like Sōma's fried rice, I'll try a bite." Poor naivety. Cookie could feel the girl's smile without looking at her face. Slowly, the Food Soul unwrapped her black bread and tore off a chunk.

"It's a blackened corn bread with honey glazed sardines and olives." The blonde almost let out her laughter at the dumbfounded face she turned to.

"Huh? That's a thing?"

"It's a new recipe I made that would make you cringe all over." A shadowy aura came upon Cookie as she creepily stepped towards Mayumi.

"Ah, she's doing it again," Jōichirō commented like it was no big deal. Several of the occupants turned and watched in horror of what's going to happen.

"Oh no, not again!"

"Why did they teach a Food Soul to do this?!"

"U-um, I-I think I'll-" Mayumi began to panic, trying to pick her distance with the Food Soul. Cookie however closed the gap taking advantage of the brunette's open mouth and shoved the bread in. Immediately, Mayumi felt like she was drowning in the vinegar-tasting, disgusting mix, buried in grains and being attacked by sardines.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" another of Sōma's classmates yelled as she held Mayumi up from the floor.

"It tastes terrible…"

"Not bad, Cookie, but I've made worse with sardines," the head chef bragged. "Remember the one with the puree strawberry jam, Sōma?"

"How could I forget?" the redhead replied smugly. "That one should've been banned."

"I know, right?"

"I may have not been there for that, but I doubt it beats Attendant Sōma's peanut butter squid," Cookie threw in, remembering the horrible concoction that was the first gross dish she had been exposed to under her Master Attendant.

"Are you kidding? Have to admit, your black corn bread nearly made me keel over earlier," said Attendant argued.

"Please! Sardines and jam!"

"No way! The peanut butter squid is so much worse!"

"The sardines in honey top it all off!"

As the three began to debate on the worse dish, the patrons watched with blank stares with the same two thoughts.

_Yes, he is definitely his father's son._

_No wonder she's his Food Soul._


	2. The Food Soul and her Master Attendant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yukihira Eatery is a small family restaurant in the town of Sumreidoori in the islands of Sakurajima. A young chef who had recently become a Cooking Attendant must defend his family turf alongside his Food Soul.

Another day had gone by at the  _Yukihira Eatery_. After the patrons left, the cleanup started.

"Cookie, you noticed a flaw too, right?" Sōma murmured as he polished the glasses.

"Can't say for sure," the Food Soul replied, wiping down the tables without looking up at her Attendant.

"I should've given that rice another three flips and more seasoning…" Jōichirō looked over his shoulder from the sink. Cookie smiled at her Attendant's planning of improvement already. It always reminded her of someone she met long ago. But with each new Master Attendant, a Food Soul's memories of the past would begin to blur. Cookie could no longer remember their name, and it brought a form of sadness in her whenever she thought of them.

The sound of the door sliding open snapped Cookie out of her thoughts and she straightened herself to greet the customers.

"Welco-" The hand of her Master Attendant stopped her before she could finish. The stern look on the redhead's face was a tell tale sign that these people were not customers looking for a meal.

"Hello again," the woman in front greeted as she walked inside with a group of men in suits and shades. "Oh my, it looks like you were about to close. I hope you don't mind us staying for a moment."

At the tone of the woman's voice, just dripping with sarcasm, Cookie went to the back to grab the small grill.

"Do you remember me, little boy?" The Food Soul's teeth were clamped right in a small snarl with frustration at this woman.

"What would you like? Our special today is the-" Sōma started listing the menu with a deadpan tone. The woman however cut him off.

"Oh, no. I'm here to further discuss our plan with you." Cookie stepped out of the back, grill in one hand, as the woman placed a catalog on the table.

"We would like to turn this place into a high resort that will bring a lot of income to this community as-"

The grill was practically slammed on top of the magazine, startling the woman.

"Oh, I get it," Cookie started with a serious look of her own. "You're one of those land sharks I've heard of. Well, sorry. There is no way this place is closing up shop for anything." The purplette finally lowered her sunglasses as she smirked.

"Oh, it looks like you've managed to summon a Food Soul. Although, she doesn't fit in with the aesthetic at all."

"Cookie fits in with the family, and that's all she needs," Sōma interjected. "And showing that I did summon her means we're fine as we are."

"But you know how small restaurants are going out one by one? Families are just struggling to get by nowadays. So I'll leave you my card in case you change your mind." The woman placed a calling card next to the grill. A small growl vibrated in Cookie's throat.

"Here at Yukihira, that's not a problem. We do our best to make sure customers leave satisfied."

"And what if you can't satisfy the customer?" Sōma played it off calmly with a chilling grin.

"Then we'll gladly shut down and be on our way."

"Can you keep your word on it?"

"Attendant Sōma always keeps his word," Cookie responded quickly, picking up the calling card with the tongs in her hands before throwing it over the grill, where it burned to a crisp.

* * *

Cookie adjusted the paper bag of groceries in her arms on her way to meet with Sōma after school for the day. Everything on the list for breakfast the next day was accounted for in the bag. The thick bacon was on sale, so she picked that up as well.

"Maybe I'll do a classic Gloriville breakfast of bacon, eggs and hash-browns," she pondered. "Sakurajima doesn't have many uses for potatoes after all."

Stopping for a moment, the Food Soul took out a small notebook with a worn down leather cover and yellowed pages. She always kept the notebook in her back pocket, and she had this notebook in the past. It was a gift from the same Food Soul whose name she couldn't remember.

Cookie scrolled through the notebook with one hand, and every page had a different recipe with their own depictions. Finally, she found the page that had the depiction of a bacon and eggs breakfast. On the next page was another egg recipe, but the picture showed a muffin like dish.

"Oo, or an Eggs Benedict. That will be a hefty pick-me-up."

"Hey, Cookie." Breaking out of her decision making, Cookie turned and saw Sōma coming up.

"I have everything you and Jōichirō asked for, Attendant Sōma."

"That's a lot of help. Thanks. Dad had sent a note to me, saying he had to run an errand so the restaurant is closed for today."

"Okay then."

"Oh, you want to make breakfast tomorrow?" the redhead asked, noticing his Food Soul's little recipe book. Sōma had seen Cookie take out the notebook a number of times whenever she saw the opportunity to cook.

"Yeah, I was debating between the Classic Gloriville Trio or the Eggs Benedict. Which would you want?"

"My choice would be the Eggs Benedict. Last time you made that, I thought I was going to melt. Even Dad liked it so much that he asked for the recipe."

"Yeah, but he made a significant improvement on the sauce. Who'd thought grounding bacon into a powder, add cornstarch and water and mix it until you have a deep red-brown sauce would be delicious on the egg?"

"It caught me by surprise too. But even then, I really liked yours. Where did you learn that recipe again?"

Cookie's cheerful mood instantly deflated. She couldn't remember where she learned the recipe from anymore. Instead of replying, she turned on the balls of her feet to the direction of the restaurant and continued walking.

"Uh, Cookie?" Dense as he was, Sōma followed next to his Food Soul, watching her pocket her recipe book.

"Why do we Food Souls lose our memories whenever we are summoned again?" she asked, but it was to herself.

"Maybe it's to make room for more memories? Like, for me, living an eternal life would be boring, no offense."

"But what about those you don't want to forget? Loved ones and important people that you've met in the past? Would you want to forget them?"

"Guess I can see your point. That doesn't mean you can't retrace your steps."

"Maybe." Reaching the restaurant's back door, Sōma moved to unlock the door. Cookie's nose twitched the moment the door opened.

"Attendant Sōma, something's wrong," she warned.

"Wha-" Before Sōma could ask, the blonde threw the door ajar. The two gasped at the mess that was all over the back.

"What happened?"

"All the meat has been vandalized." The duo stepped inside, inspecting all of the damage.

"A robbery?"

"It doesn't look like anything was taken-" Finding the front door open, Cookie ran to the entrance to see if the perpetrators were still in sight. Missing by a few centimeters, gluey white paint fells at Cookie's feet. When she turned around, she was horrified at the sight of the restaurant banner completely smothered in paint.

"Wow, this place looks better than yesterday." The blonde felt her blood boil at that irritating voice and she turned with a scowl. That woman and her men were standing right there.

"Must be because that eyesore of a sign had a great improvement." The purplette lowered her sunglasses. "This makes in the mood for some juicy, thick meat." The seducing tone, or attempt at it, made Cookie cringe inside.

"Like a steak that has been grilled to perfection and that your fork just sinks into it. There's nothing quite like it." The urban planners entered the restaurant, rudely passing by the blonde. The pompous woman plopped herself at a table, acting like she had already won. "Now then, I would like to place an order. I would like your juiciest, thickest meat."

The Food Soul quietly entered behind the unannounced people, finding the redhead standing in the kitchen.

"What's this?" the woman mocked. "You can't? Didn't you just say yesterday that if you can't satisfy your customers, you'll go out of business? I guess it means that-"

"Cookie, get the oven preheated," Sōma ordered as he untied the white cloth from his wrist and secured it around his head. The Food Soul smirked. It would take more than a dirty trick like this to make _Yukihira Eatery_ kick the bucket.

"On it, Attendant."

Immediately, the kitchen came to life with both Cooking Attendant and Food Soul working perfectly in sync and without a word. Cookie could hear the woman begin to panic a little in the background, confirming with her men that they really destroyed all of their meat. As Sōma tied up the dish, the blonde poured red wine into the wok with butter, sake and soy sauce and made sure the sauce was thoroughly mixed.

"How?!" the men began to exclaim in shock.

"That's impossible!"

"A perfect pork roast?!"

"Actually, this here is a potato," Sōma corrected. "I used the extra thick bacon Cookie had bought for tomorrow's breakfast and wrapped it around the mashed potatoes. I call it a pseudo-pork roast!"

Silence engulfed the restaurant.

"Is this supposed to be a joke?!" the urban planner yelled. "I had specifically asked for a meat dish! All of my head chefs are professionals and work at high end restaurants and hotels that I have established! This place isn't worth the effort of keeping it afloat! There's no excuse for this place existing."

Cookie roughly placed the dish in front of the woman with an audible thunk, making the purplette flinch.

"You have no right to talk down on an adventurous place such as  _Yukihira_ … until you've at least tried my Attendant's dish, ma'am," Cookie warned. The blonde was beginning to snicker on the inside when she saw the woman's lips tremble as the aroma of the bacon took hold of her.

The moment that the haughty woman put that juicy potato and bacon was instant victory. She was instantly squirming in her seat, enraptured by the taste. Cookie had to hold in her laughter as Sōma figuratively roasted the woman by explaining what they put into the dish and pretty much striking negotiation with her. He taunted her when he took the potato roast away, and it was only a matter of time before she would break.

"If it's not to your explicit taste, I guess I'll just give it to Cookie."

Cookie smirked at the horror on the urban planner's face and she desperately reached out.

"Wait!"

Checkmate.

In the next minute, the men and woman laid on the ground true bliss. Sōma untied his cloth.

"It was nothing."

* * *

That weekend morning, Sōma and Cookie were at work washing the paint off the sign.

"Looks like something exciting happened while I was gone." The two turned to see Jōichirō approaching the restaurant.

"Let's just say we had some very rude customers yesterday," the bright redhead explained. "But Cookie and I took care of it. We should be done here before opening tonight."

"About that, Sōma… For the next three years, the restaurant will be closed."

It took a minute or so before the proclamation had registered in their minds.

"What?!" Sōma was so shocked that he fell off the ladder he was using. He immediately picked himself up.

"What do you mean, we're closing for three years?!" Cookie questioned. "How could you make that decision without our word in it?!"

"Because you two won't be here either." The older man entered the restaurant.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Sōma yelled, following his old man inside. "I said wait! I don't want to lose this place, the only place I've even known!"

"And that's exactly why." Jōichirō calmly brought a fist to Sōma's chest. Cookie could only watch in bewilderment at this interaction. "You need to go out there and be a real Cooking Attendant. Extend your experience beyond here and meet other chefs. If you do this, you will have a chance of beating me."

* * *

That's how Cookie and Sōma found themselves on a boat to the Light Kingdom. The Food Soul sat next to her Master Attendant, a siopao in one of her hands and a bottle of milk in the other. She looked over the redhead, noting the irritated look on his face. He wasn't really for the idea of going to a cooking school to be taught by old farts and snobby tutors.

"Seriously, why do I even need to go to this cooking school?" he groaned. The teen didn't even take note of his stomach sounding like an Uke Mochi due to skipping breakfast that morning. Cookie simply placed her siopao in his hands that occupied his lap, and he began eating it without even looking down. The blonde took sips of her milk, letting herself relax.

"Land ho, ladies and gentlemen!" the captain announced. Hearing that their destination was in sight, Cookie pulled out an envelope from her back pocket.

"What's that, Cookie?"

"Jōichirō handed this to me before we left," the Food Soul answered. "He said to open it when the boat is in sight of the Light Kingdom." She pulled out a white sheet of paper with a note written on it.

Just before the boat reached shore, the two and the other passengers heard screaming of despair and agony. Both Sōma and Cookie turned their attention to the coast, where several people were on their knees, groveling that their lives were over.

"What the heck is going on?" the redhead couldn't help but question, unable to understand what was happening before them. Cookie looked down at the note, and upon reading it, her jaw dropped.

"Uh, Attendant Sōma…" The blonde raised a trembling hand and pointed towards the mountains that had numerous facilities. " _That_  is our new school. The Tōtsuki Culinary Guild." Now her Master Attendant was also dumbstruck. "Jōichirō adds that the graduation rate is even lower than 10%. Oh, and he says, 'P.S. Don't drop out before you graduate, or you will never beat me.'"

* * *

From the highest facility of the guild, an elderly man with a long beard and in a yukata stepped out onto the balcony to watch the incoming ship.

"Master Attendant, your granddaughter is on route to oversee the transfer applications," a calm voice notified behind the man. "We must leave as well if we are to meet with this prodigy of an old student you speak highly of."

"I am aware of that, Peking Duck. Just keep an eye on the children so they don't get any ideas of using them for dishes." Scared little peeps followed.

"Master Attendant, must you frighten the children?" Smoke lifted into the air and exited on the balcony.

"Forgive me, my friend. I was merely joking, but keep them close to you."

"Understood."


	3. The Transfer Exam

A serene picture. Letting everything go as you stand beneath the waterfall. Completely at peace-

BAM!

Wait, a radio?!

**Dis. _Gus. Sting!_**

"This is horrendous!" Without mercy, a bowl of hot soup was slammed on top of the server's head, and the server flailed back.

"That broth may seem genuine, but then you're suddenly hit in the face with a radio!"

"A radio?" A few more men with bowls of soup murmured among themselves. The young lady standing before them, her violet eyes staring down at them, made a flip of her long, golden blonde hair with the aura of authority.

"At least one of you must make one that moves my palette unless you all want to be frozen by Foie Gras!"

"Not Foie Gras!" the men began panicking inside and out. Like a bad omen, the air grew cold around the courtyard. A woman with blue eyes and pale skin floated into the courtyard, her scepter in hand and the silver, red beaded tiara resting on her head of platinum blonde hair. The woman's face was blank, cold and looked at the men in disapproval.

"Master Attendant, did you call for me?" the woman asked the blonde girl.

"Not exactly, Foie Gras, but I will need you to carry out punishments should these imbeciles screw up like the last one."

"Understood." The servers continued to tremble in terror.

* * *

Cookie stayed on the heels of her Master Attendant, in awe at the large school campus.

"If only Jōichirō had told us in person that he was sending us to the best culinary school in Tierra," she commented.

"You know my old man enough to know that he never gives much advice," Sōma argues, a piece of dried squid sticking out of his mouth. The redhead himself was amazed at the many people in the yard, yet felt a bit disappointed by the larger count of butlers and chaperones over Food Souls. The present Food Souls were the same kinds- Crepes, Milks and Spicy Glutens- each with subtle variations. He had to admit though that he had never seen so many Food Souls up close before, as Cookie was surprisingly the only one in his hometown.

"That is quite a unique choice of clothes, madam," a boy sitting on a bench caught their attention. Accompanying him were two men in tuxedos, one holding a tray with a teapot.

"Chamomile tea, I take it," Cookie commenting, noting the scent.

"Ah you've got quite the nose, madam. What fine establishment do you hail from? I come from the prestigious restaurant in the north."

"We're from Sakurajima," Sōma answered. "The two of-

The boy suddenly screamed in fear, falling off the bench with his teacup shattering on the ground. Several gasps echoed as other people around stared at the duo.

"Y-y-you're from Sakurajima?!" The boy began to back away frantically. "S-stay away from me, demon lovers!"

"Demon lovers? What are you talking about? Sumiredoori hasn't had a Fallen Angel attack in decades."

"Go away! Tōtsuki doesn't need monsters like you!"

"Monsters?" Cookie echoed with an offended expression and voice. "You don't know anything about Sakurajima then."

"Don't bother with this wimp. Let's just get to this exam hall or whatever it is."

With a huff, the blonde Food Soul followed behind her Master Attendant as she tried to tune out the shaken voices and remarks from the other chefs and Food Souls.

"Wait. That girl is a Food Soul?"

"Never seen one like her before."

"Who cares? They're Sakurajima born."

"People who worship Fallen Angels."

Cookie rolled her eyes, finding these people ignorant enough to believe those old Sakurajima traditions were of the people's free will. They did it so they wouldn't be killed. How was that hard to understand?

"Sounds like none of them have actually worked in a restaurant," Sōma muttered.

"Well, if they have some skill, we will see it soon enough. Though, socializing with the customers is also important in being a chef."

"So much for being high class. Makes me sick to think what kind of pompous examiner we're getting."

* * *

The scared murmurs rang throughout the exam hall, but not towards the two residents from Sakurajima. All eyes were at the front of the room, where a girl in the school uniform with long, golden blonde hair and an intimidating Food Soul in white and blue stood alongside another girl with short, pink hair in the school uniform, who was joined by a short Food Soul with long, white hair and dressed in a white and green gown, and a bean like creature floated in the bowl beside her.

"Under normal examiners, there will be a written test and going over pedigrees," the blonde began. "But I don't have the time for that. So let's settle with the actual cooking. Hisako, bring out the cooking set." The pinkette was surprised, but she did as told, assisted by her Food Soul.

"Excuse us for being late, Erina," a voice called over the crowd. The entire exam hall transfers froze except for Sōma and Cookie, who immediately turned around. At the doorway was a tall, intimidating old man with grey hair, deep eyes and a long beard. The man was still fit under his swamp green yukata with geta on his feet, and he carried an air of respect and obedience. Beside the man was a Food Soul with gold eyes and in an elegant red vest, a cream colored monk shirt with long, wide sleeves underneath and white gauchos. The Food Soul had a monocle over his left eye that was attached to the golden accessory on the left side of his face and his long brown hair was braided. A ducky hair pin adorned the top of his head. Around his neck and ankles were black bead charms. He carried a long pipe in his left hand and a group of yellow ducklings was chirping around his black flat-adorned feet.

"Grandfather!" the violet eyed girl in the front gasped in surprise.

"It's him," Sōma pointed out, just as surprised. "The guy who came to the restaurant a month ago."

"Wait, did the examiner say, 'grandfather?'" Cookie questioned.

"It looks like we came just in time, Master Attendant," the Food Soul next to the man noted.

"Yes, we're lucky to have arrived before it started," the man replied. The man and his Food Soul stepped into the room and like they were demons, the people crowded in the middle parted to let them through, each of their eyes filled with intimidation and fear.

"Lady Erina, Master Attendant and I will also be judging the transfers today," the brunette explained.

"I wish you could've told me beforehand and hear it from Grandfather instead, Peking Duck," the golden blonde, Erina, responded.

"Now where is the fun in making everything predictable? I believe we had this discussion before."

"It's not going to help by drilling it into her head, Peking Duck," the grandfather said. "Leave the topic as it is."

"Of course, Master Attendant." Peking Duck gave a small bow before turning to the smaller Food Soul. "You look like you've been well, Mung Bean Soup. Has Mung Bean behaved himself lately?"

"We're doing great with Mistress Hisako, Big Brother Duck!" the Food Soul in green replied cheerfully. "Mung Bean has thankfully not caused any trouble for the past few weeks."

"That's wonderful."

"Ah, Master Attendant, Peking Duck, Director," the stoic voice of the elegantly dressed woman spoke up. The front's attention fell on her. "It would appear that almost all of the applicants have withdrawn."

The six in the front turn to the center of the room, where the redhead Cooking Attendant and and honey blonde were staring at the exit with dumbfounded expressions.

"Attendant, what just happened?" the Food Soul asked after a few seconds.

"I knew you two would remain," the elderly man announced, snapping the two out of their stupor. "Come here." The duo could feel a different presence from this man than when he was at the diner and they approached the group.

"So… you're the Director of this guild," Sōma started, a bit shaken by that revelation. "No wonder my dad closed the restaurant early to let you enjoy our food without disturbance."

"I never properly introduced myself to you that day, Sōma Yukihira and Cookie. You have my apologies. I am Senzaemon Nakiri, Director of the Tōtsuki Culinary Guild. This is my secretary and partner, Peking Duck. He is also the Co-Director of the guild." The brunette Food Soul bowed.

"A pleasure to meet you both. Master Attendant is fond of you. Taking care of Tōtsuki while my Master Attendant is away is one of my jobs."

"Wait a second, Grandfather!" Erina interjected. "That's where you disappeared to last month? To a second-rate diner of all places?!"

"I don't remember seeing you there," Cookie quickly remarked out of habit.

"How dare you!" the pinkette Hisako scolded. "Do you know who this is?!" The girl gestured to Erina. "This is Director Senzaemon's granddaughter, Erina Nakiri! The highest in her middle school division and the youngest of the Ten Cooking Masters ever in Tōtsuki history!"

"Well, we know her now," Sōma replied.

"You miscreants!"

"That is enough, Hisako," Senzaemon ordered. The two human girls turned to the Director. "It is only natural that they have not even heard of the family name, let alone Erina. Yukihira is a native of Sakurajima, which had been closed off from the rest of the world until only 30 years ago."

"S-Sakurajima?!" Erina gasped in pure shock. Even her Food Soul' stoic appearance twitched at the revelation and Hisako flinched as well.

"And also, would you think lowly of him still if you knew who his father is or who this Food Soul beside him is?"

"His father? And the Food Soul?" the pinkette repeated.

"The Food Soul Cookie…" the golden blonde muttered slowly before her eyes widened even more. "But how? No one has been able to summon Cookie in 70 years."

"I was surprised as well, but she's been summoned once more just a month ago," the Director commented. "But we're all now here in the present, so let's start the exam." Senzaemon stepped over to the kitchen set behind him and plucked an egg from one of the many bowls of ingredients. "A main ingredient is egg. In addition, the dish you make must involve crepe. If you succeed in satisfying at least three out of four, you will be accepted into the Tōtsuki Culinary Guild. The judges will be Erina, Foie Gras, Peking Duck, and myself. You may take as long as you need."

"A dish with crepe…" Sōma mulled over the possible recipes that they could use for this exam. "Basically a thin pancake…"

"There are things like egg crepes, pretty much thin omelettes, but I feel like they'll expect that," Cookie whispered to her Attendant. "And there's not much you can fill it with that satisfies the pallet of someone like the Director himself."

"I did it before, then we can do better together."

"Egg… pancake…" The honey blonde turned towards the Director. "Do the ingredients have to strictly be what's in a normal crepe?"

"It doesn't have to be a standard crepe, but it must have the same purpose," the elder man confirmed. At the response, she smirked.

"I think I have an idea of what we can make for you four, Director." Cookie took off her hat and unbuttoned her cape, letting them fall to the floor. "Attendant Sōma, Recipe 183."

"Huh? But that recipe is a…" The redhead stopped himself when the realization hit him, and he smirked as well. "Oh, I follow you now. Four plates of Recipe 183 coming up!"

The diner chef pulled on his apron, dropped his jacket on the floor by Cookie's things and tied the hand cloth around his forehead.

Instantly, the two were in sync at the kitchen set. Sōma set out flour, eggs, salt, sugar and baking soda by a mixing bowl as Cookie cut away at cabbage leaves at lightning speed until the leaves were diced.

"She's using cabbage for a crepe?" Hisako questioned in confusion.

"And he pulled out buckwheat flour," Erina pointed out, looking over to the redhead, who was mixing the dry ingredients.

"Attendant, the cabbage purée will be done in three minutes," the honey blonde informed. "Pass me four eggs."

"Of course." The redhead passed the eggs to his Food Soul before he added eggs to the dry ingredients.

Cookie put the cabbage leaves in a purée machine before moving to the stove and filling a large pot with oil. The stove was set to high, and the oil began to bubble. With precision, she cracked the eggs and let the insides, yolk and all, fall into the hot oil. At the same time, another pot was placed on the stove with diced tomatoes and soy sauce inside. Cookie then added pepper, white flour and oregano to the same pot before turning off the purée machine, where the cabbage was turned into a crunchy paste.

"Cookie, the purée," Sōma called. Once the honey blonde passed the container to her Attendant, he scooped the purée cabbage and added it into the mixing bowl and began mixing it into the batter. The batter began to turn a light green.

"What in the world are these two making that involves deep frying an egg and mixing cabbage in crepes?" Erina wondered, unsure of what they're planning to serve them.

"Okonomiyaki," Peking Duck answered, making the girls turn to the Director's Food Soul. "A pancake in which one of the main ingredients is cabbage. The name literally means, 'how you like it cooked,' as virtually anything can be added. It is popular among middle classes in the smaller districts of the Light Kingdom and a favorite in the islands of Sakurajima."

"You're serving us a commoner dish?" Foie Gras questioned with narrowed eyes. "What makes you believe that high class people such as us, let alone my Master Attendant, would ever taste something from second-rate establishments?"

"That's a laugh coming from you," Cookie said, as she used an egg spoon to pull out four, perfectly golden brown eggs. "The person who taught me this recipe was the head chef of one of the top restaurants in the Light Kingdom for a good seven years before they retired. It was the restaurant's most popular breakfast dish. I believe they had a diploma from Tōtsuki too, now that I am starting to remember that."

"You learned this… from a Tōtsuki alumnus?" The golden blonde summarized, her voice trembling.  _"The legends of this Food Soul are true… The Food Soul who was her own Master Attendant… and was better than any chef Tōtsuki had ever produced… because her teachers were all Tōtsuki graduates!"_

"Batter's ready, Cookie!" Sōma announced.

"The pan is hot and ready. Remember, thinly. The sauce will be done soon." The honey blonde stirred the contents of the pot with a wooden spoon as Sōma applied the thin batter to the baking sheet over a burner. Immediately, the smell of cabbage and batter began to rise.

"Whoa, they're not done yet and it already looks and smells good," Mung Bean Soup commented, with the inside of her mouth building up saliva.

"Bean Soup!" Hisako gasped in horror, like her Food Soul made a traitorous comment by giving in to a second-rate dish.

After a few minutes, all of the batter was baked into thin layers and folded into triangles on four plates, three crepes for each. Following was a dark red sauce that was dropped onto the crepes and the fried eggs were placed in their centers.

"Recipe 183 revised: Breakfast Okonomiyaki, Crepe Version," Cookie introduced after the finishing touches.

"Hmm, the cabbage was puréed so it would be thin enough for the crepe," Senzaemon noted. "In normal okonomiyaki, the cabbage is added to the mix in leaves so the pancake is crunchy. Common sauce on okonomiyaki is a specific sauce and mayonnaise."

"The recipe has a Gloriville twist in that the sauce is soy sauce that is sweetened with tomatoes and spiced with black pepper and oregano and then thickened with some white flour," Cookie explained.

"So what about the leftover crepes?" Peking Duck questioned, looking at the plate with the extra crepes.

"I figured to give those to your ducklings, if that's alright with you."

"Well, they did skip breakfast even when I told them to eat. I'm sure they'll appreciate you thinking of them."

"Dig in, little guys," Sōma encouraged as he set the plate on the floor for the ducklings. The yellow puffballs were instantly on the crepes, and the plate was quickly cleared. The duckling laid on the floor, caressing their full bellies.

"Oh my." Peking Duck chuckled. "If the children like the crepes themselves, I wonder what it tastes like with the sauce and egg."

"Be sure to break the eggshell before you dig in, Co-Director Peking Duck," Cookie instructed, passing the Director's Food Soul a fork.

The brunette brought the fork to the fried outside of the egg and the ends easily sank in.

"The white of the egg has been cooked thoroughly and it's still soft," Foie Gras noticed.

"Deep fried egg relies a lot on the cooked white and runny yolk in the center," Senzaemon informed. "Although not difficult to make, it is easy to overcook if fried for too long."

The fork split the egg in half and instantly, a flood of yellow spilled out over the crepes.

"So smooth, and it's like liquid gold," Erina gasped, shocked at how perfect the egg was prepared.

"This was fried… with sunflower oil, wasn't it?" Peking Duck questioned. "The aroma of sunflower seeds is being emitted from the whites."

"Yes, I was surprised that you had an oil that has been scarce for the past few years, as I learned from Attendant Sōma back at the diner," Cookie said. "You see, this recipe specifically calls for sunflower oil, which has more vitamin value than the common canola oil and less monounsaturated fat. It also allows the egg to have a layer of saltiness without actually adding salt. Please, eat up before your crepes get soggy."

The brunette Food Soul easily cut a piece of the egg and sauce coated crepe with his fork before picking it up and placing it in his mouth.

A moment passed. Another moment. Another moment. Then, the pipe in his hand fell to the floor.

"This is heavenly," the doting Food Soul commented with wide eyes. "It's so light and flavorful that I wouldn't have believed that cabbage was used as a base if I had not witnessed the preparation firsthand. The sauce and egg compliment the cabbage to its greatest level of umami. I would've believed that they had just used a basic crepe recipe or even with egg crepe, but this is a cross of two popular foods in a wonderful harmony."

Peking Duck cut off a larger piece than the first and ate that as well. With every bite, he swore he found himself in a field of leafy vegetables and a sea of gold in the distance with the sun at its peak. A dazed, blissful expression crossed the brunette's face as he savored the crepe in his mouth.

"It takes a lot to get such compliments from Peking Duck alone," the Food Soul's Master Attendant mused. "That's easily one delighted judge."

"Fine, I'll give this dish a try," Erina huffed, getting a fork and breaking the fried shell easily. Just like with Peking Duck's egg, the yolk quickly flowed out of the shell and onto the crepes. "We'll see if this graduate's recipe can please my tongue."

"They're probably dead by now," Cookie replied like it wasn't a big deal. "The reason for their retirement was because of age. They were in their 80s when they taught me this recipe. I should probably also point out that this recipe is around 50 years old."

"50 years?" Sōma echoed, stunned at the age of the recipe itself.

"The age shouldn't matter as long as it tastes refined," the golden blonde retorted as she dug her fork into the crepe.

"I will have mine as well," The grey haired man informed before breaking the egg as well and having a taste.

Erina looked hesitant for a moment before taking the piece of crepe into her mouth. After chewing for a little, the golden blonde sighed with satisfaction before shock crossed her face.

" _I completely forgot to judge the dish!"_  she fretted to herself.

"I would say the look on your face is enough sign that you liked it, Erina," the Director commented, the sleeves of his yukata off.

"When did his chest become bare?!" Cookie yelped in surprise. Soma looked unfazed though.

"I-I didn't admit to anything, Grandfather!" Erina argued, flustered at his assumption. "Foie Gras, you go ahead!"

"... Yes, Master Attendant." The icy Food Soul hesitated with her fork, her scepter in her other hand with a tight grip.

The room watched with bated breaths as Foie Gras not down on the crepe. Her eyes widened and her body began to tremble. She suddenly found herself standing on a sandy beach with bright cabbage patches behind and a golden sea in front of her.

"These look ripe enough, don't you think?" an imaginary voice asked behind Foie Gras. The Food Soul in her mind turned around to find an aberration of the two chefs who made the dish, looking through the cabbage patches.

"Well, we did take good care of these all season," the dream Cookie answered. "Not like you did much."

"What's that supposed to mean? I did a lot of help."

Foie Gras watched the two go back and forth, finding the scene before her so pure and serene. It made her heart feel... very warm.

In the real world, her scepter slipped out of her loosened grip and she had to support herself on the counter.

"L-Lady Foie Gras!" Hisako called out in fright. The white clad Food Soul took deep breaths to steady herself.

"Forgive me, Master Attendant… but this dish was made with… so much care… there's nothing I can say that's bad…"

"What…?" The violet eyed girl was beyond shocked that her stoic Food Soul broke down from a dish as simple as this.

"It looks like a three out of four, since my granddaughter will not admit her score," Senzaemon declared. He turned to the redhead and honey blonde. "You two have passed our improvised exam."

With large smiles of confidence, the towel was unwrapped and the cape was plucked from the floor and held over her shoulder.

"We're glad you liked it!"

* * *

Deep in the woods, where a building covered in ivy stood, a figure in black silks of a hippy fashion and an eye patch over his right eye was seated on the rooftop, looking out over the path to the building.

"Caviar!" an elder woman's voice called. The young man looked down, finding the woman with spiky, grey hair held back with an orange headband and a brown apron over her plain yellow shirt. "How many times have I said you cannot sit on top of the dorms! Do you want me to call Vodka and Andre out again to drag your ass down from there?!"

"A legend has come to Tōtsuki, Miss Fumio," the man replied in a whimsical voice. "It's been 30 years since anyone had seen her."

"Her?"

"The Self-Master Attendant… The Food Soul who had no Master… and was above all chefs of Tierra…"

"Is that possible? After all this time…"

"In this world maybe, but she probably lived in another world much longer."

"Not your continuum theories again… How did Jōichirō ever put up with you?"

"Master Attendant was always patient with me."

"I'm still just as surprised that Tempura didn't mind either. And he hasn't come by for years."

"He will come… when it's time."

"Now get down from there this instant!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dish made in this chapter is made up! It was inspired by soft-boiled and over easy eggs with the classic okonomiyaki pancake. You can try and replicate it and see if you like it!


	4. The First Class, Part 1

Cherry blossoms flitted down like pink snow as an opening ceremony began in a large field with a podium on a high stage. Rows of students in blue uniforms stood in front of the stage, with Food Souls of all kinds alongside their respective Attendants. At the spokesperson's request, a gold eyed boy in a black uniform and blue shirt with bright red, spiky hair took his place at the podium. Alongside him stood a young girl with long, honey blonde hair in two low ponytails and a cream yellow cape. The girl held a black porkpie hat in one hand.

"Well, I never really prepared something for this, but I'm Sōma Yukihira," the redhead started, looking over the crowd. "My transfer was a bit of surprise when I first arrived here from Sakurajima, but I don't plan on losing to wannabes who have never been in a real kitchen. As far as this school goes… I might as well take the top spot."

Following the proclamation was an uproar of anger from the other students and their Food Souls.

They were all silenced by the echoing slam of a hand on the podium right by the microphone. Even Sōma was surprised as he turned to his Food Soul.

"Any good chef should know that it takes more than some fancy legacy or name to be successful," the honey blonde announced. "The moment I returned to the Light Kingdom, I could see that all of the transfer applicants were just there to make a name for themselves or because of some pedigree that doesn't even involve cooking. One who wants to be recognized as a culinary legend cannot achieve their greatest potential by limiting themselves to someone else's expectations. That is why I am glad to be the Food Soul of Sōma Yukihira. An honest chef who doesn't care about what others think of him and will do whatever it takes to protect those he does care about. Those of you who challenge him for some petty reason other than wanting pure victory over him… will have to get through me first." The last statement was said so harsh that some of the students flinched.

The student body present remained silent as the two stepped off the podium and went to the back. In a tent, there was Erina and Foie Gras, who were looking very stern at the duo.

"Are you two trying to pick a fight with the whole student body?" the golden blonde chastised. "Claiming to take the top and acting like you're above them? That is never going to happen. You both will be out in a matter of days."

"Says the one whose Food Soul admitted to liking our cooking," Cookie rebutted. "Not to mention that even the Director and his hard-to-win-over Food Soul also approved."

"That has nothing to do with now!"

"I hate people who act like they're perfect." Erina flinched at how low the honey blonde's voice dropped. The Food Soul's red-violet eyes were looking at her in an intense glare and her arms crossed in disapproval. "Those who believe they're perfect and better than everyone else are nothing more than spoiled brats who can't try new things and get nowhere. You may be one of the ten best at Tōtsuki and the granddaughter of the Director, but until you accept that you're not some goddess or whatever divine you imagine yourself to be, you're not getting rid of us any time soon and your cooking will never be your own."

Erina looked so flabbergasted, so horrified by this lecture from a Food Soul, this particular Food Soul.

" _The legendary Cookie… is pretty much stating that she's ashamed of me!"_  she screamed internally.

All of the strength in her seemed to disappear into thin air and her knees gave in.

"Isn't that a bit harsh, Cookie?" Sōma asked, a bit shaken that his Food Soul had practically talked down the Director's granddaughter.

"The truth will always be harsh. Let's go, Attendant." Cookie walked past Erina without sparing another glance, and Sōma followed behind her like she was the Master Attendant instead.

"Master Attendant… Do you need me to fetch Hisako?" Foie Gras asked, not knowing what to do in this situation.

Erina didn't respond. She was too shaken, too aghast from the blunt force of Cookie's words. Because her words had the same impact as someone she could never forget, no matter how much she wanted to.

* * *

"Wow, a girl in a floating spoon," Sōma commented, intrigued by a little Food Soul who really is floating in a hovering soup spoon. Her black hair was in two ponytails with her head under a dragon styled, white ski hat with large white pom poms. She wore a fluffy shawl over her red and green patterned dress and matching gloves. "You don't see that everyday."

"You sure are dressed warmly," Cookie said to the smaller Food Soul.

"And you're dressed like like you're ready for anything!" the black haired Food Soul replied with a bright smile. "I'm Tangyuan, and this is my Master Attendant, Megumi!" The blunette girl beside the smaller Food Soul was shaking so much and had a look of fear across all of her features.

"H-h-hello!" Megumi squeaked.  _"Why am I paired up with this scary guy and his equally scary Food Soul?!"_

The glares and stares of malice from the other classmates seemed to be digging into her, even though those looks were to the person that was assigned as her partner.

"By the way," Tangyuan continued, "you didn't introduce yourself at the opening ceremony. Can I have your name?"

"Oh, my apologies," Cookie replied. "My name is-"

"All Food Souls must leave for Training Room C-4," a voice with a French accent announced from the front of the room. Megumi squeaked in terror when she looked at who spoke.

" _What is wrong with my luck?!"_  the golden eyed girl shrieked internally.  _"Our first instructor of the semester is… Master Chapelle!"_

"The room is down the hall on the first floor," the blonde instructor added. "This lecture is for chefs and Cooking Attendants only."

"I expected this to happen," Cookie sighed. "I'll catch up with you after school, Attendant."

"Knock their socks off, Cookie," the redhead encouraged. At the use of her name, the classroom went into an uproar of not anger, but surprise and fear, from both humans and Food Souls. Tangyuan was amazed while Megumi looked ten times as scared from earlier.

" _The_  Self-Master Attendant herself?!"

"The Ultimate Chef in the flesh?!"

"How did that transfer student manage to summon  _her_?!"

"A legend is among us!"

"We are so screwed!"

"Cookie, you never said anything about you being famous," Sōma pointed out to his Food Soul, undaunted by the entitlements and praise she carried.

"I personally like keeping a low profile, but you know how humans get. They always make a big deal out of everything."

"Well, Miss Cookie, if I had known you would be here, I would've assigned you to something different," Chapelle complimented, coming up to the four. "It is an honor to truly meet you."

"Thank you, Monsieur Chapelle. But I am now just my Attendant's Food Soul. No need for special treatment." A small smile came upon the instructor's face, shocking the students once again.

"He's smiling!"

"Even Master Chapelle looks up to her!"

"I have only heard of your modesty. You truly have the heart of a chef, my dear. Your Attendant is lucky to have you."

"Your acceptance of me is appreciated. Now I must hurry to my class as well."

"Of course." The lighter blonde stepped aside to let her have a route to the doorway.

"Let's get going, Tangyuan."

"Yes, Miss Cookie!" the black haired Food Soul responded more excitedly than needed as she followed right behind the honey blonde. Quickly, the other Food Souls in the room left. Chapelle returned to the front of the room and the smile disappeared.

"Now then, we will see how well you work in pairs of two. I will write a recipe on the blackboard, and you must follow it. Anything that is not an A grade will result in immediate failure."

* * *

"Miss Cookie, I am beyond words of how happy I am to be partnered with you!"

"Please, you don't need to be so formal with me, Tangyuan. Unless you want me to call you the same."

"Nuh uh! I don't deserve that!"

"Hey shrimp, do you think you can so casually refuse one of the most respected chefs of Tierra?" a platinum blonde Food Soul in a flashy, pale outfit topped with a newsboy cap and multi-colored goggles objected. Cookie turned to the Food Soul without making a stop.

"And you are?"

"Popcorn, Master Chef Cookie. Food Soul of the heir to a large food manufacturing company." The honey blonde rolled her eyes.

"Why am I not surprised it's another of those pedigree types? Let's hurry, Tangyuan." Popcorn's jaw hit the floor, feeling the rejection full force as Cookie looked ahead again and picked up the pace. Tangyuan was right behind her. Some of the other Food Souls snickered.

"He totally deserved it."

"That was fast."

Quickly finding the classroom sign, Cookie slid the door open and let Tangyuan in first before coming right after. The room was larger than the one upstairs with larger cooking stations and sets of tables by the decorative windows.

"This place almost feels like the diner," Cookie commented.

"I thought this was an actual training room, not another kitchen classroom," one of the Food Souls groaned.

"Well, Food Souls are not just about battle," the honey blonde replied without looking in their direction.

"Very true, Miss Cookie." A more adult looking Food Soul with wavy blonde hair loosely tied back with a black ribbon entered the room. On his face was a pair of pale gold framed glasses. He wore a long, light brown apron with a cut bread loaf icon on the chest and the word "Toast" imprinted on the bottom right. Underneath the apron, the Food Soul had on a white dress shirt with a black tie, black slacks, and matching dress shoes. Tucked under his left arm was a bread shaped box with a small lock on the top.

The Food Soul stood in front of the class.

"Morning, everyone. I am Toast, Food Soul under Master Chapelle. I will be your instructor in hands-on lessons on assisting your Master Attendant in the business."

"Wait, like waiting tables and all that?" a Sandwich complained. Toast narrowed his eyes at the individual.

"Yes." He put his attention back on everyone. "While some Food Souls excel on the battlefield and in exploration, others find their strengths in the business, that is they are best on their feet and can handle a live situation such as managing a dining establishment. At Tōtsuki, Food Souls will be tested on their strengths and weaknesses to find their best environment to ensure that they are not a burden to their Master Attendant. By halfway through the semester, Food Souls will be divided into three groups: Battle, Expedition and Restaurant. I am positive you don't need an explanation of the classes, so I will move on to this lecture.

"Even after the halfway point in the semester, Food Souls will have to have some skills in the kitchen. So for this class, we are holding a pseudo simulation of a real restaurant. Six pairs will be placed at one of the six stations in the room. Each station has an assigned table on the far wall, and you will be serving people who will be customers."

"Where are the customers, Mister Toast?" Tangyuan asked, looking at the empty chairs and tables.

"They should be here any minute, Miss Tangyuan. They were invited from the dorm building down the road. But they're far out on campus so it takes a while."

"Here we are, Toast!" a youthful voice announced. The Food Souls parted to allow a group of individuals to enter the room. Each of them was greatly unique from each other.

"We're serving other Food Souls?" a red haired Food Soul with a long grey and green scarf asked, surprised.

"These are Food Souls from the Kyokusei Dormitory, many of them partners with past Tōtsuki alumni. Instead of choosing to wander, they stay on campus and come time to time to help with lectures and tutorials.

"Meet Vodka and her eagle Andre, Yuxiang, Xiao Long Bao, Macaron, Yellow Wine, Jiuniang, and…" Toast had to look more closely at the back of the group before he stumbled on his feet from losing his balance in surprise. "C-Caviar! You've come as well!"

The Food Soul stepped in front of the group. A steely, grey eye was the only visible part of his face, with a black and white teeth patterned eye patch over his right eye and a black silk scarf concealing the bottom half. Grey blue hair fell out of his black bandana. He wore more black, almost hippy like with a gothic twist.

"I wanted to see the one and only Cookie for myself," the mysterious Food Soul explained.

"E-Everyone, this is Caviar, Food Soul of former 2nd seat Cooking Master Jōichirō Saiba," Toast introduced while still jittery from the legendary Food Soul's presence. Many of the first year Food Souls murmured in surprise or awe.

"Saiba…?" Cookie repeated, confused by the surname.

"You're forgetting Tempura, who was with my Master Attendant long before I came along," Caviar reminded. "He just hasn't been around since Master Attendant wanted to travel on his own for a while."

"Yes, who can forget him. Now, if all of you could take these seats, I will pass out timers to each of you at a table."

The seven guests walked over to the tables, with the small, timid Food Soul girl in a fluffy, white hooded cloak joining a tall male Food Soul with long, brown hair at a table.

"Ah right, Jiuniang is shy, and so she and Yellow Wine count as one table." Toast went up to each table and gave a Food Soul one timer. "Class, your customer will be at the table with the same number as your station. Each of them will time how long it takes for their order to come out. However, being fast isn't the goal of this session. You must be able to complete all of the requests that your customer makes with as few mistakes as possible to make sure that they leave satisfied. This is crucial to any real life situation in the kitchen. Should you fail the simulation entirely, it will be a grade reduction for your Attendant."

That gained several gasps of shock and shouts of protest.

"We are Food Souls, and we must be at the ready for anything our Master Attendants desires from us. Should we fail, our Attendants fail. That has been the motto of a Cooking Attendant and their Food Soul here at Tōtsuki."

"Of course, because our grade counts as part of our Attendant's grade," Cookie muttered quietly.

"Toast," Caviar called.

"Yes?"

"When will Cookie be up?"

"In the third bout."

"I want her and her partner serving me."

Tangyuan was surprised by the request. The childlike Food Soul looked at her partner, as the honey blonde pulled off her hat with a confident grin.

"Part of the assignment: answer to every request from the customer," she stated. "I will give the best service I can offer, Caviar."

Although unseen, the grey-blue haired Food Soul smirked under his scarf.

_"It's time to see if she's still as brilliant as she was before her 30-year absence."_


	5. The First Class, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New OC is introduced: Zuppa Toscana.

Cookie watched the first group of six at work, some struggling more than others or getting frustrated with the Kyokusei Food Souls’ demands for their orders. The Food Souls stationed at the kitchen sets had obviously never even raised a measuring cup before. She sighed while spinning her porkpie hat on her finger.

Suddenly, one of the Food Souls playing the role of the waiter blew up in the face of the cold Food Soul with grey blonde hair and a white eagle on her shoulder.

“Be silent,” the woman ordered with a cold tone and unamused glare. Her eagle immediately lunged at the Food Soul, and the eagle easily overpowered the jerk. The Food Soul limped back to their station and collapsed. Most of the other Food Souls in the room shivered and whimpered in fear.

“I knew that would happen,” Cookie commented, looking very unimpressed. “Don’t mess with  Vodka and her eagle. Very hard to please.”

“Excuse me, Toast,” the redhead with the scarf called out. “My partner and I aren’t up until the third round, but can we serve Miss Vodka when our turn comes?”

The honey blonde looked over the redhead more closely. There was a scar over his left eye and across his face cheek to cheek over the bridge of his nose, and his right eye had a rose gold iris. His red hair was lighter than Sōma’s and shorter and fluffier than Jōichirō’s with a yellow striped, brown headband. He was well dressed, resembling a knight’s knave with the plate of armor on the left side of his chest and the off-white cape very similar to her own. The Food Soul was dressed in pale greens and several shades of grey and a grey pouch on the left of his waist.

_ “That eye… He’s definitely been with customers more difficult to please than Vodka,” _ Cookie thought.

“W-well… Vodka, what do you think?” the blonde Food Soul instructor asked the pale skinned woman.

“As long as he is thrice the waiter than this one,” she answered.

“I make it a rule to never second guess a customer,” the redhead promised.

Cookie made the conclusion that this Food Soul was not one to be underestimated.

* * *

 

With Sōma and Megumi, their meat was simmering in the sauce, and the blunette was called by the redhead for assistance. Afterwards, the boy noticed the malicious grins from another group and checked the meat in the pot. The two gasped when they saw a hill of white on top of their meat.

“Wh-what is that?” Megumi asked, beginning to tremble. Sōma dipped in a small spoon and picked up some of the white grains. After a lick, it was clear.

“It’s salt,” he confirmed.

Megumi began to panic. They would need to start over, but they didn’t have enough time left in the class to let the meat cook. Sōma, however, was unfazed and brought in the backup ingredients.

“We’ll get this done in time.”

* * *

 

Cookie nodded in approval as the second round of Food Souls was working more smoothly with the alumni Food Souls’ orders than the first bout. She noted that among the seven at the six tables, Vodka and Caviar were the hardest to please. Their standards were high indeed.

The red-violet eye of the honey blonde went back to the rose gold eyed Food Soul. He looked just as bored, and the small green branch of leaves was being bobbed up and down between his lips.

Standing next to him was a Food Soul who Cookie assumed was his partner. He was taller then the redhead with pale skin and a black masquerade mask with golden brown designs and green feathers over his eyes. His ghostly grey hair was mostly pulled back into a long ponytail that reached his lower thighs with the shorter strands styled to the left in a wing shaped style and cup his cheek. A single earring hung on his left lower lobe, shaped like a kale leaf. The Food Soul wore a russet brown hoodie with ripped short sleeves and lopsided to his left. The hoodie was zipped to the top with a pale gold zipper and the hood was lined with cream white stripes. Under the hoodie, he wore a black robe with cream white tassels on the bell sleeves that lopsided to his right. A green undershirt was bunched at the waist and its sleeves extend to his wrists. In his free hand was a black lantern with yellow tinted glass, but the light that shined out was white. Under his robe was umber brown boots with potato white pants tucked into them.

“You will be fine, Zuppa,” the redhead assured the Food Soul. “Remember what we practiced over the interval. I’ve tasted your cooking recently, and Miss Vodka will like anything you make.”

The Food Soul remained silent, but turned his head towards him.

“Come on, the mask is a tell tale sign that you’re nervous. You need both hands in this kind of kitchen, Zuppa. Think of your Attendant.”

“… Master Attendant…” a quiet voice slipped through the grey haired Food Soul’s lips, almost surprising to Cookie from that she could still hear it from over the other Food Souls at their stations. Finally, the mask was lowered, exposing a mature and yet warm face. The Food Soul’s eyes were a deep green and sharp, yet they portrayed a gentle presence. A brown, tattoo-like scar was a dominant feature on his face, circling around his right eye from the right of his nose to just on the cheekbone.

“I will protect my master from the darkness… I won’t let it engulf his soul…” If it were any other person, they would feel goosebumps on their skin.

_ “And his partner sounds very devoted to his Master Attendant, but he must’ve been summoned recently for him to lack confidence,” _ the honey blonde inferred.

“The second bout has finished,” Toast announced. “Third bout will start once all dishware is cleaned.”

“Mister Caviar is being served at Table 3, Cookie,” Tangyuan told the more experienced Food Soul, getting the honey blonde’s attention back to their task.

“Ah. Got it, Tangyuan. Do you want to do the cooking or hosting?”

“I don’t want to put you on the spot, but you should do the cooking. It gives us the best chance of pleasing Mister Caviar.”

“There’s another reason for choosing to be the waitress, isn’t there?” The small Food Soul flinched in surprise before her usual chipper mood dimmed.

“It’s just… Megumi only summoned me recently, and she was having a hard time in middle school before I came along… I don’t want to let her down on the first day…” The cookie Food Soul smiled and patted Tangyuan gently on the shoulder.

“I get it completely. You don’t need to fret. You leave the cooking to me. You focus on making sure Caviar isn’t left to just wait.” The positive aura built back up in the black haired girl and she nodded vigorously.

“Okay!”

* * *

 

In another classroom, a pair of two were finishing up with cleaning their station. Nearby was a report paper with a red “A” on it.

“That went more smoothly than I believed it would,” the chubbier, messy brown haired boy commented. “I wonder how Cassata and Zuppa are doing with their session.”

“Those two are like you and me, they won’t fail,” the thinner, but shorter blonde boy replied. “And besides, I hoped I would be in that transfer’s class. So I could beat him.” The brunette did not reply, but the smile on his face widened.

_ “Zuppa has a greater influence than I predicted he would. My brother is actually looking forward to competition. Maybe this is what Dad and Uncle wanted for Takumi. Someone to compete with him so he doesn’t fall into the darkness…” _

* * *

“Third bout, begin!” Toast commanded. Cookie had removed her cape prior, setting it and her hat in the back of the room as she stood her station. She kept her eyes on Tangyuan, who had gone up to Caviar and gave the polite greeting before asking what he would like.

“The Chef’s Special,” the black garbed Food Soul replied. Tangyuan didn’t look like she was expecting that answer. Cookie could sense the “customer” smirking under his scarf. The black haired Food Soul fell back into character.

“I will get your order out soon, sir.”

The honey blonde already had an idea of what to serve, quickly picking up the ingredients provided in the classroom. At the corner of her eye, she saw the Food Soul “Zuppa” doing the same before his partner returned to their station.

Two frying pans on the stove were hot with melted butter once she was done mixing up a batter.

“Cookie, what are you making for Mister Caviar?” Tangyuan couldn’t help but ask as the honey blonde poured the batter into the pans.

“A mysterious person usually has a thing for sweet things from what I’ve learned. And the fake menu has several selections for a whole day. This is the Chef’s Special for sweet tooth people. Tangyuan, do you know how to whip up homemade cream?”

“Y-yes.”

“My hands are tied here, could you handle it?”

“I will try.” Grabbing a mixing bowl and an egg beater, the smaller Food Soul secured milk from the cold fridge provided and powdered sugar before quickly whipping them together rapidly. She added vanilla extract while still whipping the ingredients.

“Almost done on my end,” Cookie notified. She flicked her wrists while holding the handles of the frying pans, effectively flipping two perfectly browned pancakes at a golden color and then she caught them on a plate without fail.

“Cream is done now.”

“Good.” Next to the honey blonde was a bottle of honey, which she used to design a fancy honey bee on the plate. On the side were a small bowl of strawberries, which she had already prepped with the leaves cut off and all but one cut in half.

Tangyuan made it over with the quickly made cream, and Cookie took a frosting spatula. She scooped some cream from the bowl and spread a thin layer on the top pancake. The honey blonde took a larger scoop and plopped it on top before using the frosting spatula to shape it into an ice cream spiral. The strawberries were used to decorate the pancake with the insides out and the whole strawberry on top of the cream mound. The last touch to the dish was zigzag of honey on top.

“Order up!”

Tangyuan nodded before carefully picking up the dish and making her way to Caviar’s table.

“The Chef’s Special for today, sir,” the smaller Food Soul declared before setting the plate down in front of him. “Honey Kissed Pancakes.”

“That was quite fast for cream prepping,” Caviar commented, but picked up the provided fork. The fork sank through the pancake and effectively cut off a small piece. “Honey and strawberries with whipped cream are a popular topping for pancakes because of their sweetness. It looks like a simple dish that could be mass produced at any restaurant.”

Caviar stopped there as he lowered his scarf and bit down on his fork.

* * *

“We’d like to present our dish!” Sōma announced to Chapelle as him and Megumi stepped up. On the plate was a plump meat and cauliflower. The blonde instructor pressed his fork against the meat, and the fork sprung off gently.

“I am aware that your group had an ‘accident’ earlier,” the instructor began. “How were you able to cook the meat so thoroughly in a short amount of time?”

“With this.” The redhead held up a jar of honey proudly. “I runned this into the meat before cooking it in the sauce.”

“Honey has a property that breaks down proteins faster.”

“How did you know to use honey that way?” Megumi asked.

“I read from a cooking guide that pineapple breaks down protein, but I didn’t have need for a whole pineapple. So, I tried out with other things to see if they would have the same effect. And what I found was honey. It lasts a long time and very versatile.”

Chapelle cut off some of the meat with a knife.

“You try some too, Megumi,” Sōma insisted, handing the blunette a fork with the meat. The girl was hesitant for a moment before biting on the meat at the same time at their instructor.

* * *

Three people felt themselves being being drenched in honey, bliss and delight.

* * *

Caviar felt like he was sinking into a fluffy pancake in a sea of pure white cream. The cream was dotted with strawberries that leisurely bobbed on the surface.

_ “The whipped cream is so fluffy and melts in the mouth,” _ the grey eyed Food Soul thought.  _ “This is not just any honey that she used, this is clover honey. The light sweetness allows the strawberries to blossom with their tart flavor. The pancake has been baked so thoroughly and perfectly, but it’s still moist. What would be a simple recipe at first glance is really a breakfast that only the best breakfast inns can provide.” _

“Is the Chef’s Special up to your standards, sir?” Tangyuan asked.

“Better than I hoped. Please give my compliments to the chef, and tell her I haven’t had pancakes like this in a long time.”

From her station, Cookie smiled for another please customer.

“Fantastic!” A shout of delight surprised the honey blonde and she turned to Vodka’s table. The redhead was standing by the table. The beverage Food Soul looked like she was having the time of her life. When Cookie looked down at the plate, her breath hitched in her throat in surprise.

_ "They served the same dish as us! They look perfectly identical!” _

“Honey Kissed Pancakes with orange blossom syrup in the batter was a stroke of genius! The citrus tang mixes perfectly with the strawberries and whipped cream, and the pancakes are perfect and fluffy!”

_ “He used orange blossom honey?!” _

“Please, the credit goes to the chef. I am just your server this afternoon,  _ signora _ .”

Cookie set the cooking ware in the water filled sink and walked over to the green eyed Food Soul, who was starting to wash off the mixing bowl.

“Can I ask you something?” she started. “Zuppa” flinched like he wasn’t expecting anyone, and the bowl fell into the sink with a splash.

“C-C-Cookie, right?” the male Food Soul stammered, clearly nervous in her presence. “Wh-what can I do for you?”

“Your pancakes… what gave you the idea of adding orange blossom honey to the batter?”

“W-well, the strawberries were not e-even near ripe yet. They w-would’ve been too sour by themselves, even with the cream. S-so I added orange blossom honey to the pancake b-batter for a light, tangy sweetness to cancel it out.”

The honey blonde looked back to the grey haired Food Soul’s counter, finding another plate of plain pancakes.

“Could I try it for myself? No additions.”

“S-sure. Y-you’re the Ultimate Chef, who am I-I to defy?”

“That’s just exaggeration.” Cookie carefully cut a considerate piece of the pancakes and bit down.

She didn’t feel honey dripping down on her. Rather, it was as if she was being submerged in it, the orange-tinted gold being so thick it limited her movement.

_ “This is…! Just adding honey to the pancake batter could leave this large of an effect…?! The tangy undertone from the orange makes the feeling of the pancake pleasing to the tongue as if you’re sinking into it!” _

“Looks like someone is enjoying my partner’s dish,” a voice broke through her trance. The honey blonde turned to find the redhead with a grin. “I’m glad that even the Self-Master Attendant is pleased with my friend’s cooking.”

“I never would’ve imagined adding honey to the batter, much less orange blossom. It was quite an improvisation for the situation for the strawberries. You have a good partner.”

“Thanks. Zuppa needs someone who he can compete with. It could help with his confidence.”

“I take it also that your Master Attendant works for a family restaurant just like mine, then? Only someone who has worked with all kinds of customers could’ve been confident enough for who you served.”

“Nothing gets past you, Cookie. Our Master Attendants are twin brothers.”

“ _ Our _ ?”

“H-he means me too,” the green eyed Food Soul answered.

“My name is Cassata, Food Soul of Master Attendant Isami Aldini, the younger brother,” the redhead introduced. “My partner is Zuppa Toscana. His Master Attendant is the older brother, Takumi. Zuppa is new, so he gets nervous around others apart from me and our Attendants.”

“I thought he was just summoned. Yet his thinking in the kitchen is something to praise.”

“I will say this, it’s good that your Master Attendant is the same as ours.” The mood between them shifted, with Cassata staring at Cookie with a smirk and a certain flame in his eye. “Shall we find out at a later date if you really are the pinnacle of cuisine,  _ Ultimate  _ Chef?”

Tangyuan returned to her station with a now-empty plate and dirty fork, but didn’t go near the two in a staring match. The honey blonde gave a confident grin.

“I wouldn’t say I am the pinnacle, but at least there’s one group of Food Souls who can keep up with me. After all, competition can lead to some good ideas. Tell your Attendants that I look forward for some clean, exhilarating cooking matches, Cassata.”

The room had gone quiet, just watching the two not break their eye contact. However, Zuppa in the back could only watch in fear.

“W-wait! I didn’t agree to this!”

* * *

 

“Wait a minute, we can’t just take the next boat back to Sakurajima and then expect to just come back the next day!” Sōma exclaimed at the end of the day. Cookie had regrouped with him outside the facility, and she could only watch the realization on her Attendant’s face. “It took forever just to get here!”

“The last boat of the day has probably left already too,” the honey blonde added.

“Dammit, now what do we do?”

“Actually, there’s a dormitory around here. The Food Souls who came in for the session were from a dormitory called Kyokusei. Maybe we can bunk there.”

“And how are we supposed to get there?”

“I can be of help.” The two yelped and turned around, finding Caviar right behind them.

“Wh-what are you doing here?!” Cookie yelled, feeling her heart race from the other Food Soul’s sudden appearance.

“I never left. I was waiting on you two.”

“Who is this, Cookie?” the redhead asked.

“Caviar, Food Soul of an alumnus and lives at Kyokusei.”

“Just follow me,” Caviar told them. “I’ll take you to the dorm.”


	6. Kyokusei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the Kyokusei Food Souls.

"Toast wasn't kidding when he said how far the dorm is," Cookie commented along the trail. The sun was starting to set and the three were not much closer to Kyokusei Dormitory than hours ago. Sōma was already looking tired with a squid tentacle hanging out of his mouth, and he periodically shivered from the dropping temperature.

"How much farther is this dorm?" the redhead groaned.

"It's in the middle of the woods, but it might actually make it the most peaceful place on campus," Caviar informed. "The roommates are a rowdy bunch, but they're just like my Master Attendant's generation. You'll like them.

"Oh, and I hope you have more than that squid on you, if you want the dorm mother to not kick you out."

"Uh, what?"

"Trust me, she may be nicer in another reality, but she can be quite mean in this world."

"Uh…" The pair stared blankly at their guide.

"Ah, there it is," the black garbed Food Soul notified. Over the next hill was an old building with a metal fence and ivy growing along its walls.

"Hey, I expected something a little more in shape, but this will do," Cookie stated. Her nose twitched, confusing her. "Hmm?"

Before the honey blonde could ask anything, Caviar opened the double doors of the building and instantly, dark smoke spilled out.

"A fire?" Sōma gasped, hurrying inside with the honey blonde right behind. Suddenly, the entire dorm foyer shook with a loud crash.

"An earthquake?" Cookie guessed, looking around in the dark room.

"I told you they're a rowdy bunch," Caviar reminded. The room began to rumble again, but it came from one of the halls entering the foyer. From the darkness was several wild animals from ducks to even a young deer.

"Usako! Kamosuke! Shikanoshin!" A girl with strawberry blonde in an aqua blue sweater was screaming as she chased after the animals. Right behind her was Xiao Long Bao, the rose blonde Food Soul, looking incredibly worried.

"Please stop running! Stop!"

"Room 118! I've told you to not raise wild game in your room!" a woman's voice boomed. "And Xiao Long Bao, I thought I told you to not help her in sneaking them into the dorms! If you two do that again, you will be the ones who are skinned alive and hung to dry!"

"We're sorryyyyy!" The girl, Food Soul and the animals disappeared down another corridor.

"And Yuxiang, you let Room 208 turn an empty room into a smoker again, didn't you? Next time, you two will be roasted and smoked over those smoke chips!"

"Yeah, yeah, we're sorry," a messy, pale red haired boy in a turtleneck apologized, even though it didn't sound like he was serious. The brown haired woman with the pipe in one hand sighed.

"And Room 205! What in Tierra is going on in there?! Your room better not be trashed like before!"

"I know, I'm sorry, but these idiots scared Jiuniang again and Yellow Wine got dragged into it too!" a boy's voice yelled.

"Ah, you've finally returned, Caviar," the woman's voice called out, much closer than before. A woman with a demonic like aura and a platinum haired woman with a white raptor on her shoulder approached. "And with the legendary Ultimate Chef like you told Yuxiang you would. I must say, she looks more mature than even I hoped."

"Her title has been challenged just today, Attendant," Vodka commented. "A newbie made an addition to a recipe that rivaled even her interpretation, and she was impressed."

"Yes, Macaron was talking about it once you all came back."

"This is the dorm mother of Kyokusei Dormitory, Fumio 'Ma' Daimodo," Caviar introduced. "Cookie, you've met Vodka and Andre earlier today. She is Miss Fumio's Food Soul."

"Huh, should've guessed that's why she's hard to please," Cookie replied.

"I hope you know what you're going to make for me, young man," Fumio announced to the redhead in the room.

"Huh?"

"Ah, I was getting to that," Caviar said. "She only lets those that pass her exam stay here at Kyokusei."

"You could've told us that much earlier!" the duo snapped.

"Now, this exam is based solely on the Attendant's abilities to cook," Fumio explained. "Food Souls are not allowed to interfere. For the time being, Cookie can hang out in the dining hall with the other Food Souls. They usually don't go to their rooms until the students call it a night."

"Oh, the Food Souls get a room separate from their Attendant?" the honey blonde asked.

"Of course we do, darling," Vodka confirmed. "You expect women like us to bunk with smelly men?"

"Actually, back in Sakurajima, Attendant Sōma did share his room with me."

"Darling!" The platinum blonde flinched in horror, and her eagle hopped off for a moment and perched on the railing of the stairs. "How could you live in such a way?"

"It's not like he leaves dirty clothes everywhere. He's actually quite tidy, especially on laundry day. I keep insisting I can help, but no, he turns me down every time."

"You're my Food Soul, not the housemaid," Sōma reasoned. "And it's my laundry, I'm not making you work with that."

"Come on, you and your dad would barely even let me do dishes. You know I get very bored quickly. It was enough trouble to persuade you two to at least let me help clean the restaurant after closing."

"But you're the one that had been making our meals time to time ever since I summoned you. We were cutting you some slack as a thanks."

"I cook when I have inspiration. I told you that. It doesn't count as work, at least for me."

"Well, Vodka, it does look like they get along well," the matron of Kyokusei commented. "It actually reminds me of  _those two_  even after Caviar came along."

Caviar watched the bantering between the young Cooking Attendant and his Food Soul, and for a brief moment, two figures replaced them. A grunt resonated in his throat.

* * *

"Welcome, Miss Cookie!" a tiny, pink haired Food Soul in a frilly, pink, blue, cream and black greeted the moment the honey blonde, Caviar and Vodka stepped into a spacious dining hall in good condition compared to the outside. "We never got the chance to talk during your class! It's me, Macaron! I'm so happy to really meet you!"

"Likewise," Cookie replied, a bit surprised by the sudden greeting.

"Please excuse Macaron, Miss Cookie," Yuxiang, the Food Soul in the red Chinese dress and pipe, called. "She gets easily excited by newcomers in the dorms."

"Hey, we don't get new Food Souls here these days," another brunette with long hair in a side ponytail in black, red and white commented. "Not to mention the possibility of this particular legend living under the same roof as us."

"Um… Brother Yellow Wine… I-is her cooking really that legendary?" the timid Food Soul in the fluffy white hood asked from behind the male brunette. Yellow Wine turned his attention to his small companion.

"So they say, Jiuniang. The Food Soul with no record of ever having a Master Attendant, but has become one of the most respected chefs in Tierra. Not even 1st Seat Tōtsuki students and graduates alike were a match for her cooking. Then 30 years ago, during the liberation of Sakurajima from Inugami and Orochi, she abruptly vanished. Until now, with an Attendant to boot."

"Still, you didn't need to hog her for the session, Caviar," Xiao Long Bao pointed out. "I'm sure we all wanted to taste her cooking."

"It's not like she was allowed to serve everyone, Bao, I just called her when I got the chance," the latter answered.

"Hi again, everyone," the cookie Food Soul greeted to the room. "As you know, I am now Sōma Ykihira's Food Soul, so I deserve no such praise or formality. Just Cookie is fine."

"You heard the girl," Vodka spoke up. "At this dorm, she is the same the rest of us and we will treat her like we would each other. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Vodka," the room replied, although sounding very annoyed.

"Cookie, I've got our room key!" Sōma called as he stepped out of the kitchen. In his hand was a small key with "303" on the handle.

"Ah, that was fast," the honey blonde chuckled.

"Hold on, you made something for Ma in that short amount of time and succeeded on your first try with the few ingredients we have?" Yellow Wine questioned, looking very surprised.

"Yeah, it was nothing."

"Wait, why only one room?" Vodka interjected. "You two are really going to stay in the same room?"

"Cookie can take the bed if she wants it."

"Well, I will not have it even if she takes half the room!" Reaching into her dress from the front, the platinum blonde pulled out another key, but with "215" on it. She firmly placed it in Cookie's hand "Here, dear, this is for a vacant room on the second floor."

The duo stared blankly at the dorm mother's Food Soul.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, after most of the Food Souls were seated, two screams rang through the whole forest and the dorm.

"What was that?" Cookie asked.

"That brat," Vodka muttered in disgust. "Don't tell me he went into the bath with Megumi and Tangyuan still there?"

"Megumi and Tangyuan are staying here?"

"Yes," Bao confirmed as he poured green tea for the Food Souls. "Other than the only second year at Kyokusei, and now Sōma, Megumi is the only student Cooking Attendant that lives here. Tangyuan also prefers to stay with her Master Attendant to help with her anxiety, so they share a room."

"Ah, no wonder Tangyuan wanted to do her best today." Cookie draped her cape over the back of her chair and placed her hat on the table.

"And in Sōma's defense, no one told him the bath schedule," Yellow Wine pointed out. "So it couldn't be on purpose."

"The other three should be joining us in a little while, Bao," Caviar informed the rose blonde. "Should I pull out what I put together earlier?"

"Save the yellowtail-daikon stew for the kids, Caviar," Yuxiang suggested. "Most likely, Isshiki is going to throw a welcoming party for the new resident."

"That is true."

"Other three? Isshiki?" Cookie repeated.

"Th-they mean… the other Food Souls… and their Master Attendant," Jiuniang stammered, caressing her cup of green tea.

"Yeah, they're in charge of protecting the dorm from potential attacks, Fallen Angels and vengeful people alike," Yellow Wine added. "Their Master Attendant is Satoshi Isshiki, the only second year student here. His Food Souls also help with the garden out back."

"Not to mention they help their Attendant make up for skipping class just to tend to it," Vodka huffed, playing with her cup. "Xiao, can't we have something with alcohol in it?"

"For the last time, no alcohol during school semesters," the rose blonde scolded. "Miss Fumio laid that out to you completely after what happened with the 79th generation. You left so many of the students mortified during that time, and a few even moved out afterwards."

"Macaron didn't find it easy to stay after that either," Macaron whimpered, her cheerfulness completely deflated from what must've been a very horrible memory.

"You don't want to know," Caviar warned the honey blonde, who simply smiled nervously and chuckled with uncertainty.

"Hey down there!" a male voice came through the speaker tubes. "How is our newest Food Soul settling in?"

"I think we may have traumatized her a little, Isshiki," Yuxiang quickly answered. "You know, about that one shred of history here that no one wants to remember."

"Ouch. Got right into that, huh? Have those three returned yet?"

"No, but their patrol should be wrapping up soon. Another party for the new Attendant, I assume?"

"This is a dorm where one can enjoy and express their youth! Of course there will be one!" A majority of the room felt sweat of confusion drip down.

"Tell the kids to grab some of Caviar's stew," Fumio called from the entryway to the kitchen.

"Will do, Ma."

"What was that?" Isshiki asked.

"Just Ma saying that there's food down here and to come get it. Made by Caviar."

"Whoo! Caviar's cooking is awesome!" another voice answered.

"You gotta love that crazy Food Soul sometimes!" yet another voice exclaimed. Cookie held back a laugh at that statement.

A floating figure entered the dining hall, looking a little worn out.

"Ah, Tangyuan," Cookie called out. The small, black haired Food Soul immediately perked up at the honey blonde's voice and her eyes started to water.

"COOKIEEE!" The small Food Soul flew and practically tackled the taller girl into a desperate hug, nearly knocking them off the chair had Cookie not caught her knee on the back of the table. "How could your Attendant be so mean?! He made Mistress Megumi eat something terrible after class today and walked in on us while we were just enjoying ourselves in the bath!"

"Attendant Sōma just likes trying new things and seeing people's reactions. Also, the bath thing was an accident."

"I brought out some appetizers that Yuxiang got from Ibusaki for helping him earlier today," Fumio announced with a plate in one hand. "It's smoked cheese and three different types of jerky." The older woman looked around the room. "Those three still not back yet? Normally, they'd be here by now."

"I'm hungry here, Ma! They won't mind if we start eating without them!" Macaron called out.

"Well, it certainly won't hurt. Make anything you like once that trio gets back. I will be retiring for tonight."

"Thank you, Dorm Mother," the room replied.

* * *

Xiao Long Bao sulked in the corner of the dining hall later in the night, with a background noise of a rowdy party going on upstairs. Jiuniang was hurriedly cleaning up a brown liquid with flecks of green from the table. A cup laid near the spill, and the way the liquid spread indicated that the cup was dropped.

"Seriously, who mixes dried cucumbers in barley tea?" Yellow Wine yelled angrily at the rose blonde. "The point of barley tea is to appreciate its bitterness. The cucumber completely ruins it."

"I was just testing out a new blend," Bao whimpered.

"Even after so long, the only good tea he makes is those in tea packets," Yuxiang mused.

"I don't think I'd say that," Cookie argued, nursing a cup of the customized tea in her hands. "Sure, the cucumber has made the tea more melon than barley, but that can change with how much is applied. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a specific blend. Less cucumber, maybe throw in a drop of something with a salty aftertaste, and this could be a hit."

"Seriously? You're supporting this guy?" the bigger male of two questioned. Bao in the corner looked at the honey blonde with teary, trembling eyes.

"Cookie…"

"Already, we're hearing the wisdom of a culinary genius!" Macaron praised.

"Come on, it's only a suggestion."

"Ah, some of the students passed out," Caviar notified. Cookie listened for the racket the humans were making, but she heard nothing.

"Does that mean lights out?"

"No, I would give it an hour before calling it a night. Some of them wake up after a while."

"Wait, I thought you said there's no alcohol here. And with students of all people?" A few of the Food Souls chuckled nervously.

"One of them works with fermenting rice and makes different blends of juice with it," Long Bao explained.

"So she's pretty much making her own sake."

"No, she doesn't add the alcoholic compounds, thank goodness. Otherwise, Vodka would imprison her in her rice malt room for mass production."

"I wouldn't do that," said Food Soul rejected. "My Attendant would give me an earful."

An ominous aura suddenly entered the room. Cookie stayed where she was, and her eyes widened at the approaching presence.

"Sorry we're back so late," a young male voice announced. "A few Amazake near the property. Nothing we couldn't handle. We brought home some of the fruit from the orchard before that."

"Ah, I was just wondering if you would be back before lights out," Yuxiang commented.

"Welcome back, you three!" Macaron greeted. The honey blonde willed herself to turn towards the doorway.

* * *

Just upstairs in Room 205, the room was illuminated with just the moonlight as a plate of a simple mackerel with a garnish of cabbage was placed on the floor.

"Here you are," a voice presented. "Peppered Chinese mackerel with puree."

"It looks really good," Sōma commented, reaching for the fish with his chopsticks. Cyan blue eyes watched intently as the redhead bit down a piece of the mackerel.

As soon as the mackerel entered his mouth, the golden eyed boy was surrounded by cherry blossom trees in bloom and fields of dandelions and daisies. A breeze was carrying the falling petals and dandelion seeds as if they were in a dance.

" _This is heavenly! It embodies every aspect of spring! How was he able to make this in such a short amount of time? He's above all of the others here, and he's only second year! Is that what it means to be a student here?"_

"By the way, Sōma." The redhead looked at the figure in front of him, sitting so leisurely and in nothing but a pink apron with a bear on the front. A dark, almost menacing aura leaked from the light brunette, a smirk ever so visible on his face. "I heard that you have said some pretty interesting things at the opening ceremony. Both you and your Food Soul. However, I will warn you now that being the best here is going to be more complicated than you think. Allow me to reintroduce myself."

* * *

None of the other Food Souls were fazed by the aura in the room as three figures entered the dining hall.

"Oh, there were some safe mushrooms as we were coming back, so we brought them too," an older voice added. Cookie's red-violet eyes instantly looked the sharp blades all three of them wielded before looking over the three unfamiliar faces.

The shortest of the three looked like a child with black hair under a salmon orange hairband and blue shorts under a fillet salmon patterned orange kimono shirt with the sleeves tied back and small apron. The second was much taller with short grey hair and a black headband in a white kimono top with wave patterns on the sleeves, a long blue scarf, and black capris shorts. The tallest of all of them, and most muscular in the room, was a man with scars on several parts of his body, wild green hair held back with a white cloth, and in nothing but a deep green vest, a white loincloth and guards made of bamboo on his arms and legs.

The shortest had a sharp fillet knife in his free hand, the other holding a basket filled with an assortment of fruits. The tallest had a large bamboo knife resting on his shoulder as he carried another basket in the other hand, this one filled with mushrooms. The grey haired Food Soul was currently holding a cat in his arms, but the two katana at his hip were enough of a sign that he wasn't someone that should be underestimated.

"So this is the Ultimate Chef," the green haired Food Soul spoke, looking straight at Cookie. The trio were staring directly at the honey, a challenging glint in their eyes that betrayed the smiles on their faces. "We were promised by Caviar that he would bring you here."

"We haven't introduced ourselves yet," the grey haired Food Soul continued.

* * *

"I am one of the Tōtsuki Ten Cooking Masters…"

* * *

"I am Sashimi…" the shortest of the three introduced.

* * *

"Holding the Seventh Seat…"

* * *

"My name is Sanma Shioyaki…" the man in white and blue greeted.

"And I'm Bamboo Rice…" the burly Food Soul added. "We are the loyal Food Souls of second year Master Attendant…"

* * *

"Satoshi Isshiki."


	7. Bowl and Basket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First Food Soul cooking match: Cookie vs. Sashimi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a few weeks to post. I had a horrible case of writer's block. Luckily, chapter 7 is in progress. So stay tuned for another update some time soon. Hopefully by next week.
> 
> P.S. I unintentionally made my main OC an OP character. n n'

"Now, Sōma, I would like you to make something," Satoshi requested- hmm- challenged the redhead. "I want to see what kind of narrative your cooking will tell."

" _So this is why my dad sent me and Cookie here…"_  the golden eyed first year thought.  _"And Senpai said earlier that he has three Food Souls… I didn't even know one person can have that many… Though granted, I never met another Attendant with more than one back in Sakurajima… How many Food Souls can one person have?"_

* * *

" _Isshiki must be a strong Attendant,"_  Cookie determined, staring at the three Food Souls that just entered the dining hall.  _"They say that the strength of the Food Soul reflects the strength of their Master Attendant. The other Food Souls may be from alumni, but other than Caviar, these three are clearly the strongest of the Food Souls here. Is their Attendant on the Ten?"_

"A-Amazake? Y-you weren't hurt, were you?" Jiuniang asked the trio.

In a single second, the imposing aura vanished.

"Nope! It was easy-peasy, Lil' Ji!" Bamboo Rice laughed with a bright smile. Immediately, the tension left the honey blonde's body and she collapsed against the tables, completely flabbergasted.

" _The atmosphere just took another 180!"_

"Everyone came out unscathed," Sashimi assured. "We're good."

Sanma let the cat out of his arms, and the furball immediately curled up around his feet.

"So Cookie, your Attendant is the new student, right?" he asked. "And judging by the fact that you're still here means he passed right away, correct?"

"Y-yes… He's upstairs right now."

" _Where did that spooky demeanor from those three go?!"_

"Oh, you didn't get a chance to cook for everyone yet," Sashimi remembered. "And I assume none of you had dinner because you waited for us."

" _Nope! It's come back!"_

"Well, we can take advantage of this," Bamboo Rice commented. "We've got some produce, which should be enough for all of us."

"I call Cookie on kitchen duty!" Macaron nominated. The honey blonde flinched and twisted her neck to the pinkette.

"Wait, that's too sudden!"

"Oh, come on, the Ultimate Chef is sure to please us," Yellow Wine encouraged. "I want to taste if she is really as good as her title implies."

"That's just what the humans call me though! It doesn't mean no one can surpass me!"

"Okay then," Sashimi started, tightening his apron in the back. "Let's make this a match. See if the Food Soul really reflects the Attendant."

"Uh…"

"Sashimi was with our Master Attendant long before me and Bamboo," Sanma pointed out. "He would be the best representative of him."

" _There's really no way out of this, is there?"_

"Oh, I thought I felt you three return," a light brunette popped up from the doorway. Cookie nearly shrieked at his sudden appearance, which came out as a squeak instead.

"Ah, Master Attendant," the greenette greeted cheerfully. The honey blonde almost screamed again when she looked down the human's figure.

" _That's Isshiki?! Why isn't he wearing anything but an apron?!"_

"Isshiki, what have we said about that gag?!" Yellow Wine yelled, shielding Jiuniang's eyes. Vodka was doing the same with Macaron. "Not when the kids are up, remember?!"

"Ah, sorry, Yellow. But you know that they are just as old as the rest of you, right?"

"And they are still the mindset of a child!"

* * *

 "Ah! I drank too much juice!" a girl with long, fuchsia hair in the dark room gasped as she sat up from the floor. The strawberry blonde girl with her hair in two buns also woke up, sitting up from the bed. Her teal eyes fell on a redhead figure at the kitchen that was a part of the room.

"Sōma is cooking something this late?" she asked.

"Actually, it's a cook off," the bushy, pale redhead in the turtleneck corrected.

"Oh, Ibusaki. You're still awake?"

"A cook off?! Cool! Between who?!"

"I don't know the reason for it… but Isshiki-senpai is the one who initiated it."

"Seriously?"

"Wait, where  _is_  Isshiki-senpai…?"

"He went downstairs. Must be because Sashimi, Sanma and Bamboo are finally back. They're late."

* * *

 "Ah, I see." Satoshi nodded in understanding at the proposal between the Food Souls. Although, he was only allowed to step into the dining hall once he at least had a pair of pants on. "Well, Sōma has something cooking upstairs, so I'm sad to say that I will have to pass on this one."

"That's okay, Master Attendant," Sashimi assured. "Tomorrow's our turn on breakfast duty anyway. We'll just serve you then."

"Oh, perfect! Well then, I'll leave you and Cookie to it! I'll be back when we're calling it a night, you guys!" With that, the light brunette left the room. The honey blonde still looked like an embarrassed mess, staring down at the table.

"We're really sorry about that, Cookie," Yuxiang sighed, rubbing her forehead with her free hand. "I still don't understand why he does that." The new Food Soul still said nothing.

"I think Isshiki broke her," Long Bao stated, waving a hand in front of her. She didn't even flinch.

"Oh dear…"

"Sashimi, I think you should cook first," Sanma suggested to the black haired Food Soul. "Hopefully snap her out of it."

"Okay. Give me ten minutes." Sashimi skillfully twirled his fillet knife with a confident smile.

* * *

 "Dinner's up!"

"Fast as always, Sashimi," Long Bao commented. The aroma of coriander and mushrooms made it to Cookie's shorted mind, and she lifted her head a little.

"Ah! She moved!" Macaron notified. A plate of small, brown mushrooms stuffed with a red and brown stuffing was placed in front of the new resident Food Soul.

"Crimini mushrooms stuffed with vegetables from the garden and canned mackerel," the black haired Food Soul introduced.

"Canned? What about the mackerel fillets Isshiki cut up?" Yellow asked.

"It looked like Master Attendant gave the last to the new student for him to use."

"Oh, Cookie is going in," Tangyuan notified, seeing the honey blonde plopping a mushroom into her mouth. Giving it a moment of chewing, flavor exploded onto her taste buds, making her eyes widen. In her mind, she found herself tinier than a flower and sitting on a toadstool, watching the trees and grass above be pushed gently by the wind.

" _Delicious. The mushrooms were steamed to allow some of the flavors of tomatoes, peppers and onions to soak into its fibers. Even before that, the vegetables were sauteed for a different texture. And the mackerel was seasoned with coriander, black pepper and salt before being mixed with the vegetables. It's a nature's masterpiece."_

"Mmm, you've truly outdone yourself this time, Sashimi," Yuxiang complimented.

"So much flavor…" Jiuniang hummed happily, leaning against Yellow Wine.

"It captures the essence of a forest in summer so perfectly," Cookie finally spoke, gaining the attention of the room. "How did you learn to think of adding several techniques to what is usually a simple recipe?"

"Years of experimenting what goes well with what," the black haired Food Soul replied. "Not so different from you. So now…" The aura from just earlier returned from Sashimi. "How are you going to outdo this dish, with sticking to the theme of nature? What kind of dish will you make?"

"A nature inspired dish, huh?" Smiling, the red violet eyed Food Soul stood up. "I'll stay with that theme for sure."

* * *

 "All done! Yukihira's secret menu item number 20, revised!" Sōma presented four bowls of chazuke in a light green liquid. Sticking out of the rice was fish. "This is usually made with salmon, but I modified it to accommodate mackerel. I made enough for you guys, so dig in."

"What's this you poured in?" Ryōko asked, looking at the liquid.

"Salted seaweed tea. It's a local favorite in Sakurajima and gives another texture to the rice. Go ahead before it gets all soggy."

" _No matter how you look at it, it's a dish that you would find at an eatery,"_  Satoshi analyzed.  _"It is very pedestrian… but now the taste…"_

Simultaneously, four people started to dig into their dishes.

* * *

 "This is… an interesting dish you've made, darling," Vodka commented, confused by the dish Cookie had presented to the group. Set before everyone in the dining hall were bowls of lettuce leaves around several foods; glazed carrot sticks, cut strawberries, crispy sticks resembling french fries in varying sizes, breaded red bell pepper sticks, and a yellow bell pepper in the center filled with a thick, white substance.

"It's a Rainbow Farm Sticks Basket," Cookie explained. "I made use of the fruits and vegetables that were brought in for this colorful creation. The idea was inspired by those appetizer trio plates that were an option in many restaurants."

"The lettuce look so crisp and fresh," Macaron noted.

"And the strawberries seem like they're glowing," Long Bao added.

"But what are these sticks?" Yellow Wine wondered, looking at the fully concealed sticks. "They look like french fries, but these are smaller."

"Sure, it uses a lot of produce, but does it represent nature as a whole?" Sanma questioned.

"If you want to find that out, go ahead and dig in," the honey blonde offered. Sashimi stepped up to his bowl and reached for one of the fried sticks. He took it in both hands and broke it down the middle with ease. Inside was a soft, off-white center that still retained a rectangular shape.

"Is this…?" He bit down on one half of the stick, and his face quickly lit up with a bright smile. "Wow!"

"Sweet jambalaya, these are apple fries!" Macaron squealed joyfully, a new stick already in her hand.

"They've been lightly rolled in cinnamon, a spice that goes perfectly with all kinds of apples," Yuxiang noted. "These apples are the honeycrisp variety, aren't they? They're sweet and tart at the same time."

"And they're firmer than sweeter apples and can be used in a lot of things, including a deep fry," Cookie added.

"You used peanut oil for that," Caviar pointed out.

"Peanut oil?" the others echoed in surprise.

"So that's what that nutty flavor is," Sashimi realized. "And it has a high smoking point, making it perfect for frying foods."

"Oh, save some of them for the dip," Cookie advised. "The Rainbow Farm Sticks Basket is based on an appetizer saucer, for of course there's a dip."

"These pepper sticks are crunchy and haven't lost any flavor," Yellow Wine commented, starting off the red peppers. "The oil used to fry these was olive oil, and the breading is panko, giving a crispy texture in different areas."

"And these carrot sticks were honey roasted," Bao hummed in content. "Not just any honey either. It's chestnut honey, more aromatic and bitter than other kinds of honey and pairs wonderfully with the sweet carrot."

"What about the strawberries?" Vodka asked. The honey blonde placed a small vase of toothpicks on the table.

"Use these to dip them," she told them. "Everything in this basket can be dipped." The others picked up one toothpick and poked a strawberry through.

"I wonder what this dip is," Bamboo Rice said. "Cream? Foam? Icing? It's almost pure white."

"It's too thick to be foam," Sanma informed, lifting a coated strawberry from the dip. "Too runny to be cream, and too aromatic to be icing." Sanma brought the strawberry to his mouth and his eyes widened. "It's cheese."

"Yep, it's a mix of gouda and fontina, respectively paired well with apples and strawberries," Cookie confirmed. "I mixed in some whipping cream to make it less solid, and it makes the dip thicker."

"Yes, this white fondue compliments the sweet and tart strawberry with its texture and flavor," Yuxiang agreed. "It gives a new depth of umami."

"The flavor of the apple fries has been boosted by the cheese!" Jiuniang gasped at the burst of taste from the combination.

"Not just the apples, but even the pepper and carrot sticks!" Yellow added.

" _She is definitely on a whole different level from Sashimi, or any of the others,"_  Caviar thought, watching the others fall for Cookie's dish.  _"Even myself. Not only did she have an interesting inspiration for her dish and paired everything harmoniously, but she added a sauce that enhanced each part's umami even more."_

" _Caviar."_  The more quiet Food Soul gave a small gasp at the voice.  _"You're off in your own little world again, aren't you? Come on, these veggies aren't going to pick themselves."_  Caviar turned around, only to find himself in a large garden with the sun high in the sky. A figure stood before him, his pale red hair pulled back into a ponytail and smiling at the Food Soul.

" _Master Attendant…"_  The hallucination instantly disappeared, and he was back in the dining hall.

"I will have to say Cookie won this by a landslide," Bamboo concluded. "I don't think I've ever had a basket where you can eat everything and have everything taste unique and yet so in sync."

At that point, most of the bowls had been cleared, even the lettuce shell and yellow pepper used as a bowl for the cheese dip.

"It was like a fruit salad, but with crispy croutons and you dip it," Macaron commented. "I suddenly found myself back in the orchard during the biggest harvest time."

"The dish tells a tale of its own, a forest being made of many species and varieties that live in balance with one another," Yuxiang gave her judgement.

"Yes, I can admit that my mushrooms don't come close to this," Sashimi replied, though he didn't look sad that he admitted his own loss. "You know, Master Satoshi summoned me during one summer many years ago. Outside his home where nature surrounded us from all sides. This reminds me of the warmth and surprise I had when we first met."

"I'm sure all of us are remembering many fond times of our pasts, are we not?" Long Bao asked. The warm, reminiscing atmosphere was all the answer needed, and Cookie watched on with a warm smile.

* * *

 "How does one get into the ranks of the Ten Cooking Masters?" The question from the redhead caused the second year to freeze, stunned at the bluntness of his junior.

"Ah, right. You plan to take the top, right?"

"Yeah. You see, my dad and I are at odds with each other. If I take the top, I can finally earn his respect. So saying that… if I defeat you in a match… will that mean I take your seat?"

A moment of silence, before the brunette bursts into tears of amazement.

"Magnificent!" Sōma flinched at the reply. "Your persistence shows no bounds, Sōma!"

"Uh…"

"It's very late now, so let's call it a night. I will let the Food Souls know."

_"He completely dodged the question..."_

* * *

 "Shokugeki?" Cookie asked, once the dining hall was cleaned up. "I have heard the term from several Tōtsuki graduates when I interned under them, but I never knew what they meant."

"Oh, they're fun," Macaron answered.

"With a lot on the line depending how serious it is," Yuxiang added.

"It can be anything that you put on the line, as long as it is recognized as an official match," Caviar pointed out. "Everything at this school revolves around cooking, and so disputes are decided through it as well."

"Tell her about that time Saiba faced off against 100 opponents consistently and won every single round with no break," Yellow Wine bragged.

"Your Attendant what?!" Cookie gasped in shock at the grey eyed Food Soul. That just sounded crazy.

"Oh, that did happen. It gave him the nickname of 'Demon' as a result." The honey blonde gulped, seeing the merits of such a terrifying name.

"Speaking of Saiba, I wonder how Tempura is doing," Long Bao absentmindedly said. "It's been since they left that we haven't seen him."

"That brute of a Food Soul…" Vodka muttered, looking unpleased.

"Anyway, in terms of Shokugeki, anyone can challenge someone else to a Shokugeki as long as they meet the criteria," Bamboo Rice got the conversation back on topic. "One of which is where the stakes have be equal for it to be fair. So say your Attendant wants a spot in the Ten. It will take maybe something more than just expulsion alone for that should he lose. He could lose his restaurant if the stakes are that high."

"Just for a seat?!"

"That's the kind of place Tōtsuki is," Macaron replied. "Getting to the top isn't easy."

A tap at the doorway got everyone's attention. Satoshi stepped into the dining hall, thankfully fully redressed with pants, a shirt and the apron.

"Guys, everyone else is heading to bed," he told the Food Souls.

"Okay, Master Attendant," Sashimi replied. "We're all done here."

"So what's the verdict?"

"Cookie by a large margin," Sanma answered for the black haired Food Soul, with the cat in his arms.

"Haha, I would imagine from the Ultimate Chef. No offense, Sashimi." The orange dressed Food Soul shrugged. "Well, good night everyone."

" _This school… definitely has its own interesting, crazy customs and equally interesting and crazy students,"_  Cookie thought to herself as she went to her new room.


	8. Saving the Don RS!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got an inspiration boost today and was able to finish this chapter! Well, it was halfway done when I posted the last chapter. Updates will likely be slower at this point.
> 
> Also, a new system will be added to Tōtsuki for Food Souls as of now. It's based on the Sky Arena, to a degree. These are one-on-one matches for Food Souls so I hope you will enjoy future Food Soul battles.

Knock knock. Knock knock.

Meow!

Crash!

"AAAH!"

Cookie sprung up from her bed, scared out of her sleep when a weight fell on her from above. Surprisingly enough, she didn't find it surprising to find a familiar Japanese bobtail in her lap with a plating of the ceiling laying close by.

"Morning, Mochi."

"Cookie, are you alright?" the voice of Sanma came through the door.

"I'm alright, Sanma. And I'm up now." Fixing her caramel brown nightshirt and plain black leggings, the honey blonde stepped out of bed with the cat in her arms. Her long hair flowed behind her as she made her way to the door. On the other side was the grey haired Food Soul, who looked at Mochi with disapproval.

"I have told Master Attendant thousands of times to not teach Mochi to scare the people in the dorm like that." Sanma held his arms out, and Cookie passed the mischievous feline to him. He gave an apologetic gaze to the honey blonde. "I am very sorry about that, Cookie."

"It's fine. If it were Isshiki, I think I would've pummeled him."

"Anyway, Master Attendant is fetching Yukihira and the others to help in the garden, and he sent me to get you too."

"Let me guess, by crawling through the ceiling like what happened to me?" Sanma gave a nervous smile.

"Yes, even though I highly disapprove of it. And at least it wasn't Bamboo Rice that he sent to wake you up." A pang of disgust went through the honey blonde, and she smiled weakly.

"Yeah, I think I'd prefer the cat." The other's pale brown eyes went south for a moment before he looked away with her cheeks reddening.

"Of course, you should get dressed before anything else."

"Hmm?"

* * *

Cookie dressed herself in something more casual than her normal attire. Her usual twin ponytails we're now in a simple, low ponytail with a white hair tie. She still had her usual headband and bangs. For her top, she wore a slate blue, wide collared blouse with long, sage green sleeves. Around her neck was a simple necklace on a gold chain and a copper and gold charm resembling an egg tart. A pale yellow and burnt orange hooded jacket was wrapped around her waist. She had on pleated palazzo jeans with black flats.

Stepping outside, she found Xiao Long Bao with a few feathers stuck to his clothes, composed of an egg yellow sweater with a chicken patch on the front, khaki shorts and black tennis shoes. His hair was pulled up in a bun with a bao looking clip. He quickly dusted the feathers off of himself.

"Morning, Bao," the honey blonde .

"Hey, Cookie," the rose blonde replied. "Yukihira and Yūki should be out soon."

"I don't know. Attendant Sōma was up late trying new recipes, so it may take some work."

"Unless he gets the peek-a-boo wake up treatment at the hands of Isshiki." Long Bao chuckled. "At least we don't get woken up by Bamboo, you'd think a wild animal snuck in."

"Sanma said something similar."

The two began walking to the back of the dormitory, passing by Ibusaki placing a log down on a sawing station. Yuxiang stood close by with a pair of cough masks.

"Ah, Ibusaki is making more wood chips for his smoked dishes. Yuxiang prefers to help him out."

"So the Food Souls that live here just choose to help the students, even when they're not Attendants?"

"Of course we do, or Ma tells us to make ourselves useful so it doesn't look like we're freeloading. Speaking of being useful, Yellow and Jiuniang are likely right now with Sakaki in her fermentation station. She works with a lot of rice malt."

A chorus of caws and clucks caught Cookie's attention, and she looked to her left to find a huge coop of roosters and hens.

"As for Yūki, she's working on making a breed of Kyokusei Chickens, kind of like the chickens at Gold Leaf Ranch in Gloriville. I assist in helping take care of her animals."

"And it involves sneaking some of them into her room?" The rose blonde smiled weakly and chuckled nervously.

"Ah, good morning!" The two blondes looked towards a large garden with several varieties of vegetables and fruits. Standing nearby with a large basket of green beans was Sashimi. He was wearing a pair of black rain boots instead of his usual shoes.

"Morning, Sashimi."

"This is huge!" Cookie complimented, awed by the vast land of the garden.

"This is Master Satoshi's section. We call it Kyokusei Farm."

"Or as Isshiki jokes since he's here more often than he should, Isshiki Farm," Bao chimed in.

"He's not wearing the apron while out here, is he?" the girl Food Soul asked at the mention of the light brunette's name. Sashimi smiled, but it was with uncertainty.

"Thankfully not, Vodka and Yellow have scolded him about it already, but…"

"Hey, how about we show her the Food Souls' section of the dorm territory?" the rose blonde interjected, starting to sweat upon remembering what happened when Cookie first met Satoshi.

"Yes, Macaron is already there. Come with us, Cookie." Quickly, the two pulled and pushed the honey blonde into the direction of the trees that outlined the garden.

"This place has been for Food Souls only ever since Kyokusei was founded," Bao reminisced. "It gives the Food Souls a sense of independence from their Master Attendants, and we're allowed here any time."

"In addition, only other Food Souls are allowed to know the location," Sashimi added. "It's been tradition for us."

The three came into a grove filled with tall trees, many still in flower and several bearing fruit already. A ladder was set up under a grapefruit tree, where a basket sat at the bottom. Though the honey blonde's gaze was focused on the trees, looking at the orchards in awe.

"It's beautiful."

"Ma only knows about the orchard, but she calls it 'Kyokusei's Hidden Treasure,'" Sashimi pointed out. "The pride of the dorm."

"I can see why."

"Cookie!" The sudden voice made the three jump in surprise. A head of pink hair poked out from the under the branches of the grapefruit tree with a large smile.

"Welcome to our orchard!" Macaron shouted gleefully, waving to the three. "There's a lot more grapefruit here than last year, and we could use the help!"

"We?"

"Oh, good morning," Tangyuan greeted, coming from behind a blossoming apple tree. "The peaches are near ripe, but there's a few that are early. They're going to be really sweet by tomorrow."

"What are we waiting for?" Sashimi chimed, grabbing a basket nearby. "Time to get harvesting."

"'The best foods are made with the best ingredients,' as the saying goes at Kyokusei," Long Bao tagged on.

Over the course of the morning, the five Food Souls were tending to their secret grove of trees, laughing and enjoying themselves as they worked.

"Hey, you guys!" a voice called. With full baskets, the group turned to find Bamboo Rice, Yellow Wine and Jiuniang coming up. "Todakoro says that it's time for breakfast!"

"Oh yeah!" Tangyuan cheered. "Mistress Megumi got up early to make it today! I can't wait!"

"Well, let's hurry and get these to the students," Bao suggested, hoisting a basket of oranges up for a better angle. With baskets in hand, the Food Souls left the orchard.

* * *

"So goooood!" Macaron squealed with a mouth full of rice and chicken.

"I don't think I've ever tasted onigiri this refined before," Cookie commented, amazed by the wonderful flavors and textures of what was a simple dish.

"Please help yourself to some tea I made earlier too," Megumi offered.

Aaah…

"Refreshing."

"This is the power of Todakoro's cooking," Isshiki, with a thin white tank top and cloth fundoshi (which Cookie did her best to ignore), commented. "It soothes the soul and refreshes you to the fullest."

"Glad you all like it," the blunette replied.

"Why can't you ever cook like this in our class?" Sōma asked. The question stabbed her hard. Suddenly, her demeanor dropped to a meek, timid aura.

"I freak out. I have a bad case of stage fright, and I just end up messing up everything."

"That's sad," Cookie said honestly.

* * *

"Research Societies?"

"Yeah, they're kind of like clubs in any other high school," Ryōko explained as the four humans and two Food Souls walked down the path to the main buildings. "Tōtsuki has a lot of them, and each does research on specific types of food."

"Members can either make new recipes after school or compete in group competitions outside of Tōtsuki," Yūki continued.

"Like me and Tangyuan for example," Megumi threw out. "We're in the Regional Cooking Research Society."

"What, we Food Souls have to be in the same Research Society as our Attendant?" Cookie asked.

"Well, they don't have to, but it's preferred that Food Souls stay with their Master Attendant just to avoid confusing with someone with the same Food Soul."

"More like to show off property," the honey blonde huffed. "We're living beings for Tierra's sake."

"She does bring up a point," Sōma pointed out. The others were a left speechless and surprised at the accusation.

* * *

"Wow, there sure a lot just like Sakaki and Yoshino said," Cookie commented, looking over a bulletin board in the campus courtyard with hundreds of flyers for applications to research societies. "West Palata, Southern Gloriville, Nevras, Southeastern Light Kingdom, even one for Sakurajima and a Food Soul Appreciation and History Society. Then there's the more specific stuff, like bentos, homestyle, rice dishes, fine dining-"

"Hey, there's a Donburi Research Society," Sōma notified, pointing to an ad depicting several different rice bowls. "Maybe this will inspire new dishes for the restaurant."

"Sakurajima is known for its rice dishes. I'd say it's worth checking out."

"Agreed. You come with us too," the redhead said to Megumi and Tangyuan, who were accompanying them. The two stared back with stunned expressions.

"Huh?"

* * *

"Should be right… Ah, there it is."

What the four see when they stepped into the room for the Donburi Research Society was a withered student sitting alone in the middle of the room with his drooped pompadour. Scattered around the room were notebooks.

"If you're looking for the Don RS… You're better off just leaving now," the guy in the center moped, looking at the group with a face of misery. "We're shutting down."

"... What?"

The group stared with blank confusion. Cookie, ignoring the instruction to leave, stepped into the room and picked up one of the books. Opening it, she found several recipes of with illustrations of large bowls filled with all sorts of ingredients.

"I am the Don of the RS, Kanichi Konishi. It's best that you just-"

"This is quite the recipe book, though," the honey blonde commented. Seeing her Attendant approaching her, she held the book out to him.

"A lot of these are original bowls and popular dishes with their own spin," Sōma notified. "These are all very interesting recipes. Why are you closing down?"

"You understand!" Konishi rejoiced with large tears and his hair straightening out. The change in his energy startled the four. "You know about the true manliness of the rice bowl! It's cheap, filling and fast! It is the manliest of all foods!"

"He sure is eccentric," Tangyuan pointed out. Megumi could only nod.

"That's what it means to put it all into one bowl! And we would still be standing if it weren't for Erina Nakiri!"

"Nakiri?" Cookie's eyes narrowed at the mention of the golden blonde's name.

"Let me guess, she uses her power to get rid of facilities that don't meet her pompous standards and has them shut down to expand her control?" the Food Soul surmised.

"That's exactly what she's doing. In the end, those societies whose budgets she's slashed have only one way out… a Shokugeki."

"So?"

"As soon as the members heard we were going to go against one of Nakiri's top lackeys… they all quit!" Konishi went back into tears, more extreme than before.

" _He is not good at holding onto his allies,"_  the redhead and honey blonde both thought.

"Who is it you're going up against?" Megumi asked.

"Well-"

"Oh, you're still here." Entering the RS room was a young boy with red eyes with messy dark brown hair with a single red streak in a ponytail and a headband stepped in an oriental, brown and black outfit. "Master Attendant, it will be in your interest to fully raze this room and rebuild from the ground up. It's not worth just renovating it."

A tanned girl with blonde hair and green eyes stepped in with her black combat and most of her cleavage exposed.

"What do you think you're doing here?!" Konishi shouted, getting defensive at the intruder.

"What does it look like?" the girl replied. "I'm here to check out Erina-sama's future facility. I mean, we all know that victory in my hands is obvious."

"Master Attendant, should I just contact the carpenters now?" the red eyed Food Soul asked.

"Just hold on for a moment longer, Pancake. That is, if the Don of this Society has the confidence to beat me…" Her icy stare fell on the leather wearing Second year, and his demeanor completely deflated in that single second. Sighing, the tanned student turned back around.

"A man with no guts to fight… It's no wonder you were left to rot. Konishi was quickly provoked.

"Stupid Nikumi-"

Suddenly, half of his pompadour was severed off by a large, stainless broadsword. The captain of the RS screamed in horror, and he turned to find the owner of the sword. Who was holding TWO broadswords. Towering over him was a fit, red haired Food Soul with thick, sharp, dark brown bull horns, sharp red eyes and layered with a long brown coat, short black top, black pants and armor.

"Don't ever call Master Attendant that again, or you will be on the end of her blade," the menacing Food Soul commanded.

"Steak, I can handle this weakling just fine," the new blonde stated. "After all, it's just a club focusing on a B-rate dish, no matter how much it's refined. Erina-sama said so herself."

"Oh, so you're a lapdog," Cookie remarked, looking quite unimpressed, arms crossed and everything.

"Watch it!" Steak brought one of his swords to her face. The honey blonde didn't look at all intimidated. "Ultimate Chef or not, you have no place to call our Master Attendant a lapdog!"

"I bet she's one of those types that relies on the highest quality of ingredients and rich in flavor, right? While it is important to have good flavor and good quality, clashing too many of those together ruins their individual tastes." She flicked the flat side of the broadsword with ease, flinging it upwards. If it weren't for Steak's firm grip, the sword's flat side would've made contact with his face.

"I still don't understand how an amazing chef such as you ended up being summoned by a second-rate chef," Pancake commented. "Attendant or not, you should just ditch this trash and join up with Nakiri-sama. She'll make best use of your talent."

"I have no business with that pompous, over-the-top brat who doesn't know a dish rack from a laundry line." A few poorly concealed chortles went through from the others.

"How dare you insult Erina-sama!" the tan girl snapped. "I will butcher you myself, you ungrateful Food Soul!"

"Hold on." Everyone turned to look at Sōma. "About this Shokugeki… What if I represent the Don RS? After all, my Food Soul did insult you and Nakiri."

"S-Sōma-kun! That's Ikumi Mito!" Megumi warned, scared at the redhead human's proclamation. "She is the best when it comes to meat and has never failed in classes involving meat dishes! She is called the Meat Master!"

"Makes it better, don't you think Attendant?" Cookie spoke up. "Showing that the price of ingredients shouldn't matter?"

"My thoughts exactly."

"So you're Sōma Yukihira, the transfer student from Sakurajima," Ikumi summarized. "You've definitely got guts to butt into someone else's Shokugeki."

"Well then, we'll compete on your turf, that good with you? A meat dish, which is your specialty."

"Very well. We'll play by this RS's standards too, a donburi."

"That sounds reasonable."

"Of course, you'll need a form of collateral if you lose," Pancake reminded. "Not just the Don RS shutting down, but also your place here will go out the window as well."

"Then if your Master Attendant loses…" He points to Ikumi. "Then she and you two will have to join the Donburi Research Society until graduation."

"Eh?" The three were not expecting to hear that.

"Say it's like retribution for dissing this place."

"Aren't you a cocky kid…" Steak growled.

"No matter. I accept the terms," Ikumi interrupted. "It'll be easy to crush you." She snickered as she turned on her heels. "Let's go, you two."

Without a word, Steak and Pancake followed their Master Attendant. But then she came to a halt.

"Oh, and our Food Souls aren't allowed to assist us. It makes the match fair."

"So what will we be doing?" Cookie asked in annoyance. "I heard that even Food Souls sometimes have their own Shokugeki."

"There is one thing Food Souls can do during an Attendant-only Shokugeki," Pancake answered. "It's called Shokutaiketsu, more popularly called a 'Food Soul Duel.' In an outdoor arena right by the Shokugeki arena, the Cooking Attendants' Food Souls can have a one-on-one battle, and these Food Souls have their own stakes placed down while their Attendants duke it out in the main arena."

"And both events end at the same time so we don't miss the judging," Steak added. "This event is usually after the Food Souls are in their factions for an even match, but we aren't even halfway through the semester yet."

"I'm sure I can handle you both," the honey blonde replied. "I can tell just by looking at you two that you are more combat fit, and your partner is best in pressuring situations, right? There's no rules saying that I can't take on two opponents, is there?"

"I like her, even though she's more confident than I thought," Ikumi commented. "No, there's no limit to how many opponents are in a Shokutaiketsu, as long as the matches are one-on-one."

"Then, I'll play on their turf too. Combat match with Steak, endurance with Pancake." Cookie smirked towards the two. "What do you boys say?"

"I have no problems with it," their Master Attendant answered.

"Very well," Steak replied to the honey blonde. "Usual bets in a Shokutaiketsu is the Food Soul serving the winner's Attendant for a period of time, but it was outlawed to hold another's Food Soul for more than a semester a couple of years ago."

"I can serve Miss Meathead for a semester, and they'll be no disrespect from me either." The horned Food Soul ground his teeth with a growl.

"How about instead, you serve Erina-sama for the rest of the semester?" Ikumi suggested.

"I suppose that's alright. Then if I win…" A dark chuckle escaped her lips, making the whole room but Sōma flinch. "You two will be my guinea pigs for the next couple of dishes I make."

" _Ah… Her too?"_  Megumi and Tangyuan whimpered in their heads with tears.  _"She's definitely perfect for her Attendant."_

"I will be merciful and only have you as my tasters for a month."

"I… don't object," Steak replied hesitantly. The red eyed Food Soul nodded in agreement.

"Both matches will be in three days," Pancake informed. "You better be prepared."

The three finally leave the room.

"That Cookie… She's definitely something else," Ikumi muttered. She looked over her shoulder to her Food Souls behind her. "It will make Erina-sama happy to hear that Cookie will be serving as her Food Soul for the semester and that Yukihira getting expelled."

"She really thinks she can beat Steak in combat," Pancake jeered. "As if. And my stamina is second to no one."

"I wouldn't underestimate her as much as you are, Pancake," Steak warned. "Though it's more I'm focused on than Master Attendant's opponent."

"Master Attendant, will be going with an A5 beef?"

"Of course, Pancake," the blonde confirmed. "Nothing beats the quality of my meat. It's been marinating for over a month now. The judges won't be able to resist it." The tan Attendant smirked with a lick of her lips, eager to inform her superior.

* * *

"What were you thinking, challenging both of them like that?!" Tangyuan yelled in panic at the honey blonde. "Pancake has been with Mito for years, and his main quality is his endurance and speed! Not to mention her newest Food Soul Steak, who is the Food Soul personification of a raging bull, Cookie! You'll never be able to take them on back to back!"

"And a Food Soul who only focuses on their strengths have no time to work on their weaknesses," Cookie calmly replied. "Unfortunately for those two, they only lean towards their preferences and qualities. It's the same as with cooking. If you focus too heavily on one factor in a dish, it will ruin the entirety of the dish. And combining too many strong factors causes no sync between them."

"A good balance is like a donburi," Sōma compared. "All in one bowl, right?"

"Yeah, every part bringing out the strength of the other."

"So we both know we're going to win this." The honey blonde nodded towards her Attendant, both confident about the upcoming match in the next three days.


	9. All in One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First Shokutaiketsu: Cookie vs Steak and Pancake.
> 
> First Shokugeki: Ikumi Mito vs Soma Yukihira.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me for my hiatus! A lot was happening at school and I had hit a major writer's block. Hopefully, it won't take another month to get the next chapter out!

"Cookie, please darling, I think you're ready enough for your Shokutaiketsu," Vodka pleaded to the honey blonde carrying both the bag used to hold the gardening tools and the big vegetable basket on her back and still carrying two lidded baskets full of potatoes under her arms. "You've been training nonstop for the past two days. You've worn out Yellow Wine and even tied with Bamboo with endurance. If you push yourself too much, you'll tear yourself tomorrow."

"I told you, my stamina back then was higher than this," Cookie replied for the upteenth time in the past two days. "And Attendant Sōma has been working nonstop as well at the Don RS to make a donburi that will put Mito's A5 marbled beef to shame."

"It's the most prized beef in Tierra, what could beat that?" Long Bao pointed out, with most of the Kyokusei Food Souls present as well. "The moment Mito gives that to the judges-"

"Only if she thinks wisely about what to add to the rice, or not add anything at all."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Jiuniang stammered from the side. Cookie placed the baskets on the ground and wiped the sweat forming on her forehead.

"I've experienced A5 before, very tender and flavorful, so tender it slides down your throat like you're drinking it. However, marbled beef is packed with flavor. If she adds an equally strong flavor to the other most important content of the don, the rice, the judges will never finish it. That's Attendant Sōma's chance to win their favor."

"And you said the same applies to her Food Souls, right?" Bamboo Rice asked, picking up one of the potato filled baskets.

"Yes. Steak is a defensive Food Soul, master with fire and strength equal to that of ten bulls. But like a bull, he doesn't think before he charges. And he has only one physical weakness that no one acknowledges because of his raw strength. With Pancake, he's a Food Soul known to please. Pancakes pride themselves in stamina and moving around without rest. But that stamina, when not honed for the proper reason, can be a burden. The only way to expose that is to be equally durable."

"I don't doubt against Pancake, you can knock him off his feet," Yellow Wine commented, leaning on the handle of his buster sword. "But what about against a bruiser like Steak? Do you even have a special strength that can beat him in a battle of raw power?"

"Key word right there, Yellow. Raw power."

"I don't get what you're saying by that."

"You'll be able to see tomorrow."

* * *

"Helloooo, Food Souls and students of Tōtsuki!" a green haired, heterochromatic eyed Food Soul announced in a large, outside arena. Although, the size couldn't compare to the stadium next door, which was three times as big. "Jello is here, and let me say that I am really excited about today's Shokutaiketsu!"

The large crowd of Food Souls and students cheered in reply, especially the Omurice in the crowd, more towards the idol Food Soul than the actual duel.

"Well really, it's two Shokutaiketsu. One Food Soul against the bull of all Food Souls and the swift worker. So let's give a hand to them as they come out!" The audience cheers again before Jello continued. "With that, welcome to the stage the Food Souls of Ikumi Mito, Pancake and Steak!"

The two brown garbed Food Souls walked into the arena and the crowd cheered and rooted.

"There's that bruiser!"

"Go, Steak!"

"Show 'em how it's done, Pancake!"

"And now, I'm sure we've all been looking forward to this particular opponent," Jello followed. "While she is the Food Soul of the transfer student, Sōma Yukihira, her talent is not affected and she's sure to bring a battle full of punch! Ladies and gentlemen, give a hand to the Ultimate Chef herself, Cookie!"

The moment the honey blonde stepped onto the platform, the entire arena went crazy, some of the students even dressed like crazy fans.

"It's her!"

"That's a hot Food Soul right there!"

"She's prettier than Kawashima-chan!"

The dark side of Urara Kawashima in the Shokugeki Arena growled under that cheery mask as if someone just said that there's a girl prettier than herself.

"Now then, since this is two Shokutaiketsu back to back, our only one-Soul side gets to pick the opponent she will battle first," Jello explained. "Cookie, who is your first opponent?"

"Steak obviously," Cookie replied, confidently pointing at the horned redhead. "May as well wipe the floor with the bruiser first." The red eyed redhead gave a toothy, lopsided smirk with an irritation in his red eyes.

"Sounds like you're looking down on me before we even begin," he growled.

"I'm not. Just want to finish the bigger hassle first."

" _It's me she's looking down on,"_  Pancake thought.  _"But I'll show her… show her that my qualities are unmatched."_

"One thing to confirm: Our skills are not off limits, right?" Cookie asked the green haired Food Soul.

"Nope. All skills are allowed, just no additional weapons and don't rough each other up too much."

"Okay." The honey blonde reached for the button of her cape, pulling the button loose. She grabbed hold of the cape from her right shoulder and pulled it off her figure, sending colorful confetti all over the arena.

"Hmm?" Steak caught a fleck of confetti in the palm of his hand, and the thin paper dissolved like it was gas.

"Oh, I believe this was in the records," Jello recognized. "Well, since it's technically a weapon in the sense of its use, I'm afraid you can't wear it. But this time will slide for using it before battle."

"You're too kind. And I understand." The cape was dropped onto the concrete below the stage carelessly.

"What's the meaning of this skill?" Steak demanded.

"Don't worry, it's nothing that will interfere with this match."

"Combatants, when the bell sounds, you may begin," Jello informed, stepping onto a higher platform next to the stage. "And…"

Red eyes narrowed on a red violet orb before the sound of a bell rang through the arena.

Immediately, Steak charged at the honey blonde as a blur of red with fire trailing behind him. Cookie didn't even flinch, but she smirked. Just before any collision could happen, the honey blonde leisurely sidestepped to the left, and the redhead continued on his charge much to his own surprise.

"What?" The dumbfounded moment of the redhead nearly caused him to fall off the stage, which he wobbled right on the edge before managing to regain his footing on the platform.

"What just happened? Steak appeared to have Cookie on the ropes in the first seconds, but it was a clear miss and almost disqualified himself!" Jello announced.

" _My strength… It's much higher than usual,"_  Steak realized.  _"Not that I should be complaining. It makes it easier to defeat her. But I wasn't able to stop until I nearly fell off the stage. It was like I couldn't control my strength."_

"You know, if you don't want an automatic loss, you might to step closer to the center," Cookie teased, even tapping her foot to look impatient. The redhead gave a low growl of annoyance and turned around to the honey blonde. He marched up to the girl and swung a punch. Instead of striking skin, all he hit was air when she sidestepped again and got into flanking.

"Let's not forget…"

The two were standing so close that when the two froze, the arena went quiet. The crowd began to murmur about why they could've stopped before the taller, more muscular figure collapsed. The redhead was twitching and it looked like his face was twisted in a strange expression as if he had been stunned. The audience gasped in shock.

"What just…?! How…?!" Pancake stammered, completely shocked just like the rest of the crowd.

"Steaks are most weak in the horns," Cookie pointed out, smiling cheekily. "They're surprisingly sensitive. All I needed to do was give a pinch to the skin where the horn comes out. You'd think they'd try and focus on how to protect that weakness."

"Steak… lost?"

"Doesn't look like he's getting up any time soon."

"She just took down Steak with a pinch!"

"That's crazy!"

"Uh, well… It looks like… Cookie has won the first Shokutaiketsu!" the idol Food Soul announced. Following was a mix of applause and continued stunned compliments.

"Whoa! She actually beat Steak without really doing much of anything!" Macaron commented from where she and the Kyokusei Food Souls were seated.

"That girl really is full of surprises," Bamboo Rice agreed with a broad smile.

"Th-that was just dumb luck! It doesn't deserve applause!" Pancake argued, after pulling Steak off the stage. "But I won't be so easy to touch! I will defeat you, and you will then serve Nakiri-sama for the semester!"

"Well, I don't even plan on touching you," Cookie stated. "If I can help it."

"Don't mock me! I will win…! I won't lose to you!" Red eyes stared fiercely at the honey blonde, though the other Food Soul only shook her head.

"So that's what is driving you… But is that what you want?"

"What?"

* * *

Within the arena, Ikumi froze for a split second after cutting the A5 beef.

" _Why did I feel a chill just now? It was like one of them… Pancake or Steak… One of them was…"_

"Ah, it looks like Cookie beat both of them," Sōma suddenly stated, causing the arena to shout in surprise.

"H-how would you know that?!" the blonde snapped.

"I mean, you can practically hear the arena outside."

"I don't hear a thing! Even if she is a formidable Food Soul, how could my Food Souls lose against her?!"

"Don't know. She doesn't talk much about herself due to her memory loss. You know how it is with Food Souls."

A gong sounded suddenly, making the room jump.

"Wh-what was that?!" Megumi gasped in surprise.

"The outdoor arena gong," Satoshi, right next to the rest of the Kyokusei students explained. "Looks like the matches are already over."

"L-Ladies and gentlemen, it sounds like the Food Souls outside have already finished," Urara murmured into her mic with shock. "Now we shall wait for the results as this Shokugeki continues."

"No need." The voice came from the exit. Walking onto the floor so casually, with her cape fastened back on, was the honey blonde that became the talk of the guild, causing shouts of shock from the whole arena.

"Holy cow! The Ultimate Chef really is something else!" Kanichi gasped.

"Madam!" Jello was running right behind Cookie and finally stopped to catch her breath. "The victor is… Cookie… Both rounds."

"But how…?!" The look of disbelief on Ikumi's face was all one needed to see how her ambitions crumbled right then and there.

Right outside, Steak was finally recovering from his defeat and found Pancake sweating like a pig on the stage, down on his hands and knees and breathing heavily.

"How… could I lose…?!" the shorter Food Soul panted. "My strategy of wearing down my opponent should've worked… but she didn't even need to block anything…! Because she kept moving…! No one could move that fast…!"

* * *

Forced to continue focusing on the food, Ikumi completed her donburi the same time Sōma finished, just before the timer went off.

Cookie watched from the sidelines alongside Megumi, Tangyuan and Kanichi before spotting Steak and Pancake enter. Both of them glared at her for a moment before joining their Master Attendant on stage as she served the judges first. The tan student gazed at them with disappointment, but said nothing and handed them two more bowls of the dish she presented.

"... You two… did your best…" she said in a quiet voice for only them to hear. "We will discuss this later."

"Th-Thank you, Master Attendant," Pancake replied. Another donburi was at her station, which Ikumi strided over to Cookie with it in hand.

"And one more for the Ultimate Chef. For her to see the benefits of working for Erina-sama."

The honey blonde huffed in disagreement, but nonetheless accepted the bowl. The other three at her side watched as she took in a spoonful of the meat and rice.

"Definitely A5," she mused. "Very strong in flavor and thickness. It's perfectly moist for a good throat feel." In her head, there she was on a slide made of meat and her descent increasing by the second.

"And the rice has garlic mixed in it and oils to give a nice color along with flecks of green. Aesthetically, it's a beautiful dish. However…" After getting halfway through the rice, Cookie climbed onto the platform and joined Sōma's side. She then carelessly let the bowl drop onto the counter with a notable clink, making many glue their eyes on her as if she offended a member of royalty.

The fantasy in her mind ended with her face planting in a bed of garlic rice, in which half of her body sank in and she struggled to get free.

"It's as I thought. This isn't a genuine donburi."

"What?" Green eyes stared at the confection-themed Food Soul in horror before turning to her own Food Souls, who seemed to be struggling to finish the rice.

"See? Even your Food Souls know that the garlic clashes too much with the strong flavor of your A5 beef. I'm sure they noticed when you were coming up with this recipe that this was a flaw that would backfire on the whole dish." Two pairs of red eyes snapped open in shock, unseen by the crowd and their Attendant.

"Th-that's not true!" Ikumi finally snapped. "They would've told me if this would be a problem! It's their duty to make sure I succeed! That's what Food Souls are for, right?!"

"Then your own Food Souls are not actually loyal to you," Sōma interrupted, taking the brighter blonde aback. "I thought something was off, and Cookie used this assumption to her advantage in the Shokutaiketsu. So it's no wonder she wiped the floor with them. The need to be strong is just as important as needing the stamina for any situation, but focusing on just one aspect of either won't get you the win."

"In other words, they weren't fighting for you personally," Cookie added, looking at the two Food Souls. "They were taking orders from someone else. Otherwise, they would be rejecting everything we just said."

"Liars!" Ikumi screamed, losing her powerful stance in the eyes of the audience very quickly. Her form was trembling, horrified by the words coming from the duo before her.

"Hey, we still have Yukihira's dish to judge," Urara broke the tension by reminding them of the match.

"Oh yeah." The redhead went on and passed his lidded bowls to the judges. "Here we are. This uses a steak that is a specialty cut from Sakurajima. Ever heard of Chaliapin Steak before?"

"A Sakurajima original only released to the public years ago?" one of the judges questioned.

"Ah, very good use of traditional there, Attendant," Cookie commented. She looked at his stations, where four more bowls laid untouched. "What about the extras? Second servings?"

"Actually, one of them is for you. After your match, you deserve it."

"Aren't you generous." The playful tease was followed by the click of a pair of chopsticks from the honey blonde as she lifted the lid the same time as the judges. The pleasing scent of steak, onion and garlic was instantly released and the confection Food Soul felt her mouth water unlike with Ikumi's dish. The judges were now also revealing their donburi underneath the covers.

"F-for something made with cheap ingredients, it looks pleasing enough," another one of the judges commented. "What does the Ultimate Chef-"

The ravenous way the Food Soul was eating her Attendant's donburi was enough of an answer to the judges when they looked over at her.

"H-how can someone as refined as the one and only Cookie actually enjoy this cheap dish?!" Ikumi growled, very fed up with the two opposing her. "It's nothing compared to-" When she glanced at the judges, they were devouring the dish at the very same rate the honey blonde was.

"It's balance," Sōma explained. "I added a little something to the rice that makes this dish come together. I had put a lot of thought into and I finally decided on this." The redhead proudly held up a small bottle filled with a purple reddish paste.

"As innovative as always, Attendant Sōma," Cookie called, placing a grain-free bowl gently on the counter. "Umeboshi pickled plum is definitely what I found in the rice. It makes the dish refreshing so that it makes you want to eat more of it."

"He used plum…?" Ikumi's voice was now barely a whisper from the whole ordeal. She quickly put up more offense to get back her pride. "S-still, it was made with cheap ingredients! How can my superior, high-class beef be out eat by this?! Unless you had your Food Soul do something funny to the recipe-"

"Shut up." The harsh tone of said Food Soul made a shiver go up the spines of everyone present in the arena. "I did nothing to this dish, so don't go rambling your mouth over something you don't know. Over the past few days, I wasn't even present at my Attendant's side when he was experimenting for the best combinations to put in the donburi. I gave no feedback because I knew he didn't need it from me. That shows how much I trust Attendant Sōma's abilities to solve problems on his own. And in turn, he trusted me to carry my own weight in my Shokutaiketsu and win without a doubt in his mind."

"That's why the two of us work well together." The golden eyed boy joined his Food Soul, both of them smiling proudly with a finger out to trace a circle. "After all, as the Don of the RS that you wanted to tear down…"

"A don must be in a complete bowl!" Cookie finished.

"Th-then tell me!" Pancake suddenly shouted, beginning to sweat from the pressure from the banters. "H-how did you win against me? Even you should've been a little worn out after facing Steak, and yet-"

"Oh, you don't know what kind of Food Soul Cookie is then," Sōma chimed in with realization. He smirked a bit. "She's a healer."

"A… healer?" Steak breathed. "But her stamina isn't that of healing Food Soul."

"Only when she doesn't use her skills. She told me about them one time after a day in junior high when I got a bruise from gym, and she healed the injury right up. One of her skills not only replenishes her stamina, but she also becomes lighter on her feet. And since skills are allowed in Shokutaiketsu, it's no wonder she didn't look even the slightest bit tired."

The two Food Souls could only stare in shock at the girl who bested both of them so easily with just her skills alone.

"But enough about that." The redhead pulled the lids off the remaining three bowls and picked up one of them, with Cookie following by picking up the other two. "If you're still so adamant to not admit defeat, why not give this dish a listen? We're sure you'll find your answers."

Both Attendant and Food Soul held the donburi out to their opponents. "Dig in!"

After a moment, the three received the bowls hesitantly. Pancake was biting his bottom lip as his mouth watered. Ikumi was the first to take the first bite.

" _This bowl… really is speaking to me… It's saying that it doesn't matter how I eat it as long as I do…"_

"M-Master Attendant…" Steak weakly called, seeing tears gather in the blonde's eyes. The green eyed girl didn't hear him call out to her.

Deciding not to wait for his Attendant's verdict, Pancake got a reasonable size and took it down.

" _This dish is definitely better rounded than Master Attendant's… Its flavors come out strong, and yet it's gentle, like there is nothing against me and my skills…"_

* * *

" _A Pancake! They are known to be very hard workers! He's perfect for you!" a woman cheered. Standing with a proud stance was Pancake with a bright smile and a young Ikumi by his side. "Congratulations on your first Food Soul, Ikumi! And to top your ninth birthday, I have this for you!" Handed to the blonde was a fluffy teddy bear, and the young girl bore a smile that mirrored the blackette._

" _Thank you so much, Mother!" The child turned to her new companion. "Let's work together from now on, Pancake!"_

" _I look forward to it, Boss!" the red eyed boy replied._

_SLAP!_

" _Ah!"_

" _Pancake!" Ikumi screamed in horror._

" _Put that down this instant!" a gruff man's voice yelled. The bear was quickly ripped from Ikumi's arms and torn apart right in front of her, the beaten toy being thrown onto the floor where Pancake was starting to get up on his arms with his face beginning to swell._   _"And you! Never call her that again! She is your Master Attendant, and you will see her as your superior!"_

" _Please stop!" the woman pleaded._

" _Shut up! I won't let the heir to the Mito Family show any meekness of a weak girl! That includes a weak Food Soul like that one! Listen Ikumi, you should only focus on getting stronger! When you hit high school, you will get a new Food Soul! And it better be a strong one as well! Understand?!"_

* * *

" _Why?"_  Pancake whimpered in his mind.  _"Why am I remembering that first day in the Mito household? How I was already hated… by that controlling man…"_

"You better eat before it gets cold, Steak," Cookie reminded the horned Food Soul. He gave a grunt before he started eating too.

* * *

" _There. That's more like it." Standing before Steak was a man and a tanned girl with firm green eyes. "A strong, fiery Food Soul fit for a Mito. Unlike that first one."_

_Steak let himself take in the surroundings of the courtyard. Then, he spotted a leaner, shorter Food Soul at the entrance, and their red eyes looked… defeated, hopeless. The redhead didn't know why their eyes looked that way, but he felt that it had something to do with that man next to his Master Attendant._

* * *

" _Please, Master Mito! I'm doing better, and I will continue to get better! I swear!" Steak heard the scared, trembling voice of his senior Food Soul and followed it to find the door to the head Mito's office open. The shorter Food Soul was close to tears as he stared back at the man at the desk in fear. "Just please don't send me away from Master Attendant!"_

" _With Steak here, you're no longer needed by the Mito Family!" the man shouted. "Your efforts were never enough to begin with! Who would even want a weak Food Soul like you?!"_

" _If I may be bold, sir," Steak intervened, stepping into the office. Pancake jumped and turned to the redhead. His eyes narrowed with fury. "I am certain that Pancake is Master Attendant's Food Soul, not yours. So you can't do whatever you want with him."_

" _You dare object to me, Steak? I hear that you are a loyal Food Soul to your superiors, and yet you question my decision?"_

" _I follow the one who summoned me, and I don't recall that being you. So of course I question you about sending Pancake away."_

" _Steak…" The smaller Food Soul's voice trembled with surprise and other emotions._

" _The Mito Family doesn't need a Food Soul who back talks either," the head Mito growled. "I can have you sent away too. Ikumi won't object to me, I know what's best for her."_

" _This is NOT best for Master Attendant!" Steak felt his temper flare up and reaching for his swords. This man reminded him so much of someone he knew, and even Attendant after Attendant wouldn't make him forget them. But even that person wasn't as manipulative as the scoundrel in front of him right now. "You're just a control freak who cares only about money and business! Should you hurt Master Attendant-"_

_The man pulled out a glowing knife, and Pancake immediately froze in terror. The redhead stared in shock at the blade, hands just grazing the hilts of his own weapons._

" _Looks like you do recognize what this is. This knife was invented by the Academy, and it can cut off a Master Attendant's contract without killing the Attendant. Which means if I wanted to, your lives here would be over."_

" _You scoundrel…!" the horned man snarled in rage._

" _It still looks like you're a bit defiant, but I will beat that into both of you. So let's strike a deal. If you pick up the slack your inferior has given Ikumi, then I will let him and you stay by her side. Oppose me again and you will never be seen in this house again."_

_Slowly, Steak lowered his hands from his swords._

* * *

" _That bastard…!"_  Steak gritted his teeth, with his bowl nearly empty.  _"Threatening Pancake and blackmailing me when we didn't do anything wrong! We were only-"_  Looking up, his red eyes caught the judging expression on the honey blonde's face. Pancake saw the same face.

" _... She was right. We aren't loyal to Master Attendant…"_  the shorter Food Soul admitted.  _"Because we've been scared of that man separating us from her._

"This… isn't what I want."

"Huh? You don't like it?" Sōma was caught off guard by the muttered words that escaped his mouth.

"No, Attendant, he's talking about what I asked him at the arena," Cookie corrected. Pancake didn't continue his confession and slowly finished off his bowl.

" _This dish is saying that… I don't need to prove myself to anyone."_

" _It's like this bowl wants me to be loyal to who I want my loyalty to lie in,"_  Steak thought.

" _It's gentle and speaking so softly,"_  Ikumi sighed.  _"It's saying that I just…"_

" _ **I just have to be me."**_

The score of the the Shokugeki, Ikumi Mito VS. Sōma Yukihira:

**0 - 3**

* * *

"Master Attendant, are you sure that you're comfortable in the full uniform?" Pancake asked that following morning.

"I-it's just for today…" Ikumi stammered. "After all, I'm a member of the Don RS now. Might as well look presentable." She rugged at the end of the skirt. "You two just focus on meeting up with Cookie at Kyokusei."

"As you wish," Steak replied.

* * *

"There you two are!" Cookie called from the dorm's gates at the two Food Souls she had defeated. "I have a new spice mix for you to try for me! All the others are out in the garden right now so it'll just be the three of us!"

"L-let's get it over with for today," Steak stated, trying to sound irritated. In a moment, the honey blonde was standing in front of the two and she pulled them inside by their wrists, coming to a stop in the kitchen.

"I just took them out! Be right back!" Cookie rushed to the kitchen, where a sweet and and spicy aroma escaped. Both red eyed Food Souls sat down more eagerly than they would like to show.

"She's more pleasant like this, isn't she?" Pancake admitted quietly. His face was slightly pink. Steak felt his cheeks get warm and not from anger or his inner flames. He gave a hum of agreement before the honey blonde returned with a large bowl platter.

"Oh, your subjects are here." The two boys and girl turned to the hallway entrance, finding Sōma walking in.

"Wha- wait, why- Shouldn't you…?" Pancaked stammered in surprise. Steak's eyes had widened as well.

"We thought you would be at the Don RS by now," the fiery Food Soul stated.

"Oh, I'm not a member," the Attendant answered. "I just stopped by to get ideas for new rice recipes."

"Oh dear…" both red eyed boys muttered in worry.

The two returned later that day after tasting several dishes (so many that they lost count and some they still can't get the taste off their tongues) to find their Master Attendant in a very agitated state. They agreed to leave her alone for the night and make dinner for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I kind of antagonized Ikumi's father. Although he's seen only once, I never really liked him.
> 
> Also establishing the first of the multiple one-sided attractions, just a heads up!


	10. Food Soul Appreciation Society

Knock knock.

"Marui, I want to ask you something," Sōma called from behind the door to Room 205. A week had gone by since the redhead's first victory in a Shokugeki, and more or less the residents at Kyokusei would find Cookie taking advantage of her win by stuffing her two test subjects with different cuisines, even some VERY unpleasant ones (no surprise). There were days where Pancake and Steak were going to pass out from eating so much and others where they became sick to their stomachs from the more dissatisfying dishes. Several of the other Food Souls st the dorm pitied them, especially since it was only the first week of the month-long wager.

Sōma decided now was the perfect time to get more of the story he's been hearing about regarding his Food Soul. The person he instantly thought when seeking answers was Kyokusei's own resident bookworm, Zenji Marui.

"I'll answer since you actually knock unlike some people," a voice replied, and the door opened a few seconds later. The black haired student adjusted his round glasses and he let the redhead in.

"Thank you. I was wondering about the seminar you attend. It's in partnership with the Food Soul Appreciation Society, right?"

"Yes. They're like the Miyazato Seminar, only they focus on gathering the history on every Food Soul to ever step foot on Tierra. So they mostly are composed of the journalist type of students. Its members usually come to us for assistance in research papers, because the more they learn about the food they're from, the better they can understand the Food Soul themselves. We also collaborate with them when some literature involves the history of the Food Soul's time in a certain era. So in short, our research clubs are quite close."

"Then you may know why I asked."

"I do, and you're in luck. I asked around the Food Soul AS myself, curious about the legend behind 'the Ultimate Chef' and where she came from. Because many first believed that she was the 'people's Food Soul' which appeared from the creative minds of chefs themselves. Even though it's claimed that she never had a real Master Attendant, there's no other way she would even exist. I'm expecting their findings later today, and I know they won't mind if you come along, given that you're the second person to have ever summoned her. Of course, that would also mean they may interview you."

"I'm not afraid to stand before journalists."

"Oh, and I don't know much about Sakurajima technology, but the AS has the latest reporter equipment from the Academy in Nevras as part of their budget, courtesy of the Director himself. So you might want to be careful of what you wear and say."

The redhead didn't look intimidated, except for the small streak of sweat that ran down the side of his face.

* * *

"Marui-kun, you've come at the right time," a brown haired girl greeted at the entrance of one of Tōtsuki's many facilities, this one looking much like a gigantic Russian temple with seven towers in an assortment of colors and patterns. "All of the records we have have been gathered and are ready for you on the second floor."

"How come I've never seen this building before?" Sōma asked, completely surprised to have missed such a magnificent structure.

"The AS has been around since Tōtsuki was first founded," Zenji explained with pride. "It's always being renovated because their records keep accumulating so quickly. For that reason, interlopers liked to break into the building to steal information. Luckily, the Academy has provided a device that only allows Tōtsuki students to see it after their first few weeks. Clever, right?"

"Sometimes, I forget how much money this school has."

"You're Cookie's Master Attendant, Sōma Yukihira right? We're honored to have you here at the Food Soul Appreciation Society," the girl said.

"Um, thank you."

"I will lead you up to the second floor. Our Bookkeeper will be waiting for you."

* * *

"And I thought the outside was huge," the redhead gawked at the sheer size of the book gallery they had walked into. There wasn't a free shelf to be seen in what felt like miles of books, scrolls and envelopes. There was the occasional trinket that were most likely souvenirs, and they looked like they came from all over Tierra. Large chandeliers with sunset orange paper lanterns hung from the ceiling and several tables and chairs were placed in between the shelves shortways.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Zenji commented, taking in a deep breath. "So much history has been collected in this building since the beginning of this school, and yet there's still so much to learn."

"Indeed there is, Marui-kun," an elderly woman's voice replied. A woman in her sixties walked over to the boys in her cream orange yukata with a light brown undershirt and grey flats. Her greying blonde hair was pinned up in a bun with a white feathered hair comb, and her bangs made a shading over her wise, jade green eyes.

"Bookkeeper, you look well as always." The black haired student gave a respectful bow to the woman, and Sōma quickly followed out of respect.

"Thank you. And this must be the student who summoned the topic of the school these days." Her gaze fell on the redhead and she smiled warmly. "I am Mariko Watanabe, the history instructor here at Tōtsuki and the current Bookkeeper of the Food Soul Appreciation Society. Welcome to our trove of treasures, Yukihira."

"Um, honored to meet you."

"I just noticed how quiet it is in here, Bookkeeper," Zenji commented. "A few hundred students would be making at least some noise in here."

"Wait. How many?" The gold eyes of the transfer student widened.

"The Food Soul AS has been growing since the dawn of its age. There's currently over 650 students in this research club, including junior high students."

"You call that a few?!" The intimidation from the large list of members left the redhead dumbfounded. "Few hundred or not, that's a crazy number! This might as well the biggest research society in Tōtsuki!"

"It is actually! So large that not even Nakiri-san would dare to tear this place down, or else she would face the wrath of the entire school staff!" Mariko confirmed with an air of confidence. The intimidation meter just spiked. If even someone as controlling as Erina wouldn't tear off one brick of the research building, the AS must hold almost the same amount of power as the Ten Cooking Masters, or even the Director.

"Past Tōtsuki alumni and even members of the Ten Cooking Masters were also in the research club. So, if I may be bold, the Food Soul Appreciation Society may as well be the third highest position of power in Tōtsuki!"

"I can understand why," Sōma replied, overcome by all of the heavy information he just got.

"But enough about us. Do forgive me for getting sidetracked. Our files on Cookie are just over here." Mariko lead the two students to a part of the gallery with lit oil lamps on the tables. Occupying one of the tables were two files, one thicker than the other with several newspaper clippings sticking out of it. "Unfortunately, most of our records stem from witness accounts. The records on her actions themselves are fewer."

"What about her first Attendant?" Sōma asked.

"Truth be told, we actually do have a first hand account on her first Master Attendant's identity." She pointed to the smaller documents. "Her actual history is in that one."

"Thank you so much."

"Oh, and Yukihira. A few of our members were hoping that you could give your account of being the first Cooking Attendant in 70 years to have summoned Cookie. However, after seeing your skills against Mito last week, they've felt too intimidated to ask."

"I will do my best to answer their questions."

"Thank you. I will leave you two to it then. Call for one of the students when you're finished." The advisor took her leave from the room.

"Okay, let's see what we've got." The two boys took a seat at the table and Sōma proceeded in opening the folder. An old illustration of a of a small, three story house was on top of the stack of documents. The building's ground floor was a shop, a quaint little bakery with a warm green and cream theme on the outside.

"A bakery?"

"I know that building," Zenji said. "That's Angel Flour, the number one bakery in Gloriville, and has been so for decades. The Director and Peking Duck have been there a number of times. It was founded 80 years ago, and has been a family business since its founding. I didn't know Cookie was there."

The redhead's gold eyes carefully turned the illustration over to a page that appeared to be from a diary. Another illustration depicted the inside of the bakery, where a young woman with orange eyes and brown in a braid bun was pulling freshly baked bread out of a stove oven and Cookie was standing with nearby with a cheery smile and holding a cake pan in her hands.

"Cookie actually worked there?"

"According to the caption, this was Cookie's first days at Angel Flour, dated 70 years ago," Sōma summarized. "The woman must be the owner."

"Her Attendant may be that woman."

"I don't think so. Look at this."

' _Daddy is not with us, but even after he passed away, Cookie stayed by my side. She's so young, having never been in this world before. My little sister… my last gift from Daddy… I hope I can raise her well like Daddy did for me when Mom left.'_

"Well, no wonder Cookie doesn't tolerate Nakiri and Nikumi's attitudes," the redhead chuckled. "It's reassuring that she came from a homey background like mine."

"So it's no question that you two are the perfect pair." The two continued to look through the folder, learning about the bakery where Cookie spent the first years of her life.

Cookie's first Master Attendant was a renowned connoisseur and baker, and he became a single father of a daughter after his wife left. Throughout his career, the man was loved by all of Gloriville and his critiques of confections and pastries were highly appraised all over Tierra. When his daughter was grown, he became sick with no chance of recovering.

"So Cookie was…" Zenji muttered, surprised by what they discovered, reading over the written account under the diary page once more.

"She was summoned by her Attendant's last breath, for his daughter," the redhead finished.

"That would mean that Cookie never knew her Master Attendant, let alone had one for 40 years before her disappearance. But I heard that Cookie has been all over Tierra. Were those false?"

"I highly doubt that given all those newspaper accounts in the other one. The owner probably sent her out for some reason." After flipping a few more tens of pages in the folder, they found another illustration of Cookie in a cooking battle against a young man with dark skin, pale blue eyes and black-teal hair with a short apron over a regally styled attire and a black and white porkpie hat. Watching from the sides were a group of Food Souls watching the match. Two people that stood out were a young, drooling brunette in red and white with a tall, elaborate marcher's hat and an older man with steely, pale rose colored eyes, long brown hair in a low ponytail and in a pastry chef's uniform with a brown apron and light orange sailor tie. "What's this scene?"

"It says that this event was almost 33 years ago. Cookie was in a showdown with the faithful Food Soul Brownie under the supervision of the best pastry chef in Gloriville of that time, Pastel de Nata. The main ingredient was coffee and both of them made very amazing dishes that emphasize on the coffee's natural bitterness, Brownie making a meat dish and Cookie going with a tiramisu-esque dish. The showdown was to show the growth in their individual skills, and while the match came close, Cookie won by the amazing inspiration for her dish. It was a memorable battle that thousands had spectated to boost the morale for liberating Sakurajima from the Fallen Angels."

"So the liberation started three years before Cookie vanished. What happened during that time?"

"Well, let's look at the back." Coming to the last few pages in the file, the students scanned the contents.

"Cookie was on the front lines of the liberation along with four other Food Souls: Napoleon Cake, Brownie, B-52, and Pastel de Nata," Zenji read. "Cookie was the healer of the team, supported by Nata and Brownie. The human-turn-Fallen Angel Orochi was quickly defeated, and next was Inugami, who had entrapped human souls to keep itself alive."

"But it says here that something happened when they confronted Inugami. And it looks like the whole outcome wasn't released to the public, or at least to the humans." A clipping from a newspaper showed an illustration of a small boy with maroon colored hair with handful of peaches. "But it says that this boy, roughly six years old, was the last known witness before that battle. He said all of them were there when they went for Inugami."

"So what could've happened?" Zenji made a noise of confusion in his throat and held the clipping closer to him and then looked at Sōma. "It's  _not_ me. This boy looks a lot like you."

"Huh?" The redhead inspected the boy's features,and noticed that his hair was wavy and even though it's short, it was held in a small ponytail except for one strand in their face. The boy had a similar face to Sōma's and with familiar pale gold eyes. His own gold eyes widened in surprise.

"My dad was there?"

* * *

In another part of the AS facility, Mariko was down in the Attendant Archives, which looked much like the second floor gallery except for the futuristic lights that hung on the ceiling that illuminated every corner of the large room. Accompanying her was a tall, beautiful Food Soul in an elegant brown cloak and garments of robes and sashes. His eyes were a pale grey, his skin pale, and his long, braided hair was platinum blonde and slate colored. A giant jug was present on the table, which held a distinctive brown liquid inside that had a scent that Mariko had grown used to.

"Jōichirō… that little kitten has quite the nerve to vanish and then pop up out of nowhere, only in the form of his son," the woman mused. In her hands was a file containing three profiles, one depicting a young maroon haired student, a grey haired Food Soul with an eye patch and another Food Soul with wild blonde hair held back by a very unique ornamented headband. "He has actually made Caviar worried sick about him."

"Master Attendant, how are you sure Yukihira is Saiba's son?" the man with her asked.

"Jōichirō is never one to be predictable, Beer. Yukihira showed the same surprise at his Shokugeki. The aura around him is the same as his dad's and their eyes mirror the passion and excitement they have when they cook."

"I can't help but wonder now where Tempura is. He's never been known to stay in one place unless it's for his Master Attendant."

"Tempura may be a brawny character, but he's also a bright one. I'm sure wherever he is that he's just fine."

* * *

West Palata had become even more bustling with trade, tourists and new cuisine being thrown onto the restaurants in the past century or so. Not to mention all the oxen, chickens, camels and horses being pulled around. But the main action was taking place at one of the biggest plazas on the block. A huge crowd had formed around the plaza's fountain, where a man in elegant cream robes and a brown turban was forced to kneel before a man with maroon hair tied back in a ponytail save for one strand. Sitting on the edge of the fountain in front of the two was a muscular young man with long, wild blonde hair tied back with a simple, salmon roe patterned headband and red brick colored robes, and he was smirking at the man on the ground while with a small case in his lap.

"As we agreed, I'll be taking back your sous chef," the victorious man stated. "Thank you again for taking care of him for the past few years. I really do owe you for giving him a good-living job at your restaurant."

"Saiba… Don't you know that I will never find a replacement for him once he leaves?" the man yelled in dismay.

"I'm sure you can summon a Food Soul who is just as hardworking as Tempura is. Sorry, but now that I have MY Food Soul back, we have to be off for the next boat." The man walked up to the blonde at the fountain, who opened the case to show a slot for a knife. The knife in the victor's hand was placed into the slot, and the case was then closed and locked. Saiba hoisted up a plain pouch bag that was in his other hand over his shoulder and the two walked off, the crowd parting for them.

"Something must be going down if you're showing up after 18 or so years," Tempura informed. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be pulling me out of a job as good as that one. The master practically treated me like his own Food Soul, if not like a son."

"I do apologize since you were clearly enjoying yourself here. Let's just say that you may be needed for a bit of guidance."

"Guidance? You're making it sound like another revolution is going to happen."

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you all of the details…" Saiba fell silent as the two made their way through the crowded market. They came to a stop at the docks.

"Attendant?"

"Not when it involves Spaghetti and him." The Food Soul's pale gold eyes widened in shock.

"What? They're back?"

"Yeah, and no doubt they're going to try something underhanded such as gaining control of Tōtsuki. So Gramps is going to need all the backbone of alumni that he can get, Food Souls and blades flying."

"But why show up now, when he was kicked out years ago?"

"He will use the current Cooking Masters and Erina-chan without a doubt. It also makes me worried about how the Appreciation Society will be affected."

"He can't be allowed to do anything!" Tempura yelled. "That club is the bonding line of people and their Food Souls! If he so much as steps foot in their facility…!"

"But he will. No doubt that he will go after them after taking the guild because of how much influence they have. But not even the Cooking Masters would want to tear it down so they will be safe. For now."

"That club was like our second home from Kyokusei at the guild, theirs too." The blonde was starting to look enraged, which was far from his usual cheerfulness. His hands clenched into fists, making his knuckles white. "I'll rip them apart if they even so much as-!"

"I said that Gramps needed the backbone," the Attendant reminded. "It's not our duty to take him down for good. It's the duty of the newest generation of students."

"And how are you that positive about that?"

"Gramps picked many of them himself, including someone I want you to meet." A large, wooden mechant boat arrived at the docks. After the few passengers departed, Saiba showed the crew members a pair of tickets, and they nodded.

"And who is that?" Saiba looked over his shoulder with a smile.

"My son." The maroon haired man proceeded in boarding the boat. Tempura was stuck in place with a flabbergasted expression before his brain started working again and ran up the ramp to catch up.

"Hey, wait a second! A son?! When did  _that_  happen?!"

* * *

"A-are you sure that's not enough pictures?" Sōma asked uncomfortably under all the spotlight from a handful of members of the Food Soul Appreciation Society. Several of them were holding microphones and recorders at the ready and others were holding devices that they said were called cameras. The cameras were for the most in the redhead's face.

"A few more please! Maybe even bring Cookie along next time!" one of the students pleaded.

"We still have some more questions we want to ask you!" another called.

"Alright everyone, we of this society do not shove for details or get in one's personal space," Mariko reminded as she entered the humongous foyer with Beer. "It's impolite and will give us a bad name in the long run."

"Sorry, Bookkeeper." Quickly, the crowd of students dispersed.

"My deepest apologies, Yukihira. When I said that they were eager to meet you, I meant that they were determined to learn more about you."

"It was okay until it started to get into more of the personal stuff," he admitted. "And it took so long that I just sent Marui back to the dorm."

"Yes, many members here just  _love_  to dig up anything they can get their hands on," Beer pointed out. "Oh, and I'm Beer."

"Beer, huh? Like that very ancient drink?"

"Yes, I am named after it."

"Did you find what you were looking for, Yukihira?" the advisor asked.

"Some of our questions were answered thanks to what you found, but then we got more questions," the redhead told them. "Like what happened during Sakurajima's liberation and the last eye witness and Food Souls with her at that time. I can now understand at least on why she's so famous and how everybody in the guild knows who she is."

"There's a start at least."

"Watanabe-san, are any of the following Food Souls currently in contract with someone? They're B-52, Napoleon Cake, Brownie and Pastel de Nata." The Bookkeeper and her Food Soul looked at each other for a moment before turning back to the student.

"We only know of one who is in a contract with an Attendant. The mechanical Food Soul B-52. His Master Attendant is in the Nakiri family."

"The Nakiris?" Sōma thought to himself that he should've seen that coming.

"Yes, but we at least know that his Master Attendant doesn't boss him around like she does with her aide."

"Not Nakiri?"

"Oh no, her cousin who is much more pleasant than her," Beer laughed. "Her name is Alice, and she's a funny one at that, almost the complete opposite of Nakiri-chan. She's a first year here as well."

"Her cousin, huh?" The redhead put some thought into this new information. He hadn't met this Alice Nakiri yet, and he had no idea what she looked like. But if her Food Soul knew Cookie, he could ask him about their interactions.

"Yukihira, it seems you've become quite engrossed in learning more about the liberation. Unfortunately, most of our archives aren't open to those outside the AS with the Miyazato Seminar being one of our few exceptions."

"Having a Sakurajima native's point of view could also prove beneficial, if I say so myself, Mariko," a familiar voice commented. The three faced the entrance, where Senzaemon and Peking Duck were entering the facility.

"Oh, Senzen! I wasn't expecting you to come until tomorrow!" Mariko greeted cheerfully.

"'Senzen'?" Sōma asked, taken aback at the nickname for the Director himself.

"Mariko is one of the first instructors I hired for Tōtsuki and we go far back," the powerful man explained with amusement. "Our Food Souls also get along quite well." To show, Peking Duck waved over to Beer, who grinned and gave a mock bow.

"The documents you wanted to look over are in my office, Senzen," Mariko informed. "But before that, I need to ask Yukihira a question." Her jade green eyes went back to the young redhead. "How far are you going to push to learn everything you can about your Food Soul, Yukihira?"

"..." Sōma had to think about it. It shouldn't be any of his business of what Cookie had been through in the past. He didn't like to pry into someone's life like some people. But then, he thought about those moments when the honey blonde looked forlorn from her missing memories. He had seen enough in that first month of her at his side that there was someone so important to her, and she couldn't even remember their face or name. He never liked seeing his only Food Soul not being her chipper, curious self like when they first met.

" _Cool! A new face! I'm Cookie, collector of new ideas!"_

No, he would never see her as one would call a romantic partner (he knew he's dense, but even he had an inkling that she was not interested in him). He only found their love for cooking and ideal of cooking for fun to be what they had in common. Cookie was more of an equal to him, a close friend, and he would never abandon a friend.

"It wouldn't be for myself," the redhead finally answered. "Sure I was curious about her background, but that was to get to know her better. Learn where she got her roots, because she fit right in with me and my dad at our restaurant. But even with your research club's records, there's still many holes in her past, holes that bring her down. Whenever she found a hole in her memory, Cookie would always look so sad and ashamed. Just from looking at her, I could tell that those missing memories were some of her most important memories.

"From what I've heard back home and seen here, there are those Cooking Attendants who see their Food Souls as tools and beneath them, disregarding their feelings. Those kinds of people disgust me, because even though Food Souls can live a significantly longer time than humans, they're still living beings. I would never treat Cookie like she's a tool, or turn a blind eye to her sadness. If there's anything I can do to make her feel at ease, even digging up the dark parts of her past that connect to her memories, then I will go those lengths for her sake."

"So that is your answer…" Peking Duck acknowledged. "Most Attendants would only seek knowledge of their Food Souls and then keep it to themselves, but not you."

"Of course I wouldn't, it's Cookie's story." His gold eyes went back to the Bookkeeper. "Mariko Watanabe, Bookkeeper of the Food Soul Appreciation Society, will you let me continue to come to your doors as a member in search of Cookie's missing past?"

"Dear boy, you don't even need to ask."

" _He's truly just like his father."_

* * *

"Sōma sure has been gone for a while," Megumi noted worriedly as the dinner call came around at Kyokusei. Steak and Pancake had left for the day, completely stuffed thanks to Cookie, and said honey blonde was looking through her small notebook without a hint of worry for her Attendant.

"He probably got swamped with questions by the members of the Food Soul AS," Ryōko reasoned. "Marui and him went up there earlier and Marui was the only one who came back."

"Should someone go there to fetch him?" Macaron suggested.

"I'm sure he's on his way as we speak," Yellow Wine assured.

"Hey, sorry for keeping you all waiting!"

"Speak of the devil."

"Now just what was taking you so long?" Fumio asked as the redhead stepped into the dining hall.

"Well, for one, I was asked a lot of questions and had probably a hundred pictures taken of me. For two, I had a conversation with the Bookkeeper and the Director."

"Nakiri-dono showed up?" Sashimi asked while polishing his fillet knife.

"Something about some documents the Bookkeeper collected for him. I don't know all of the details." Sōma's Food Soul looked him over and she noticed a multicolored wristband on his right wrist, which greatly contrasted with the white cloth tied around his left wrist and his whole outfit in general.

"Attendant, what's-" she was about to ask, but Caviar answered for the redhead.

"Ah, that's one of the Appreciation Society's wristbands." Upon the new item being pointed out, everyone in the room was focused on the accessory.

"Wait, have you become a member?" Zenji asked, surprised and fixing his glasses.

"I thought it was hard to get in that research society," the blonde-black haired Kyokusei resident Shōji said.

"Bookkeeper said that I didn't need to ask," Sōma told them.

"But Sōma, students usually have to wait a whole month before being accepted by this club," Megumi pointed out. "No one gets in just by asking. There's a whole evaluation that the Bookkeeper goes through, and she gets in applications daily."

"Well, maybe I was a special case?"

"Why did you choose to join this research club, Attendant Sōma?" Cookie asked. The redhead looked her way and gave a bright smile.

"How else can I help my Food Soul regain her memories? They're important to her, aren't they?" The honey blonde didn't know if she wanted to believe it, even knowing how loyal Sōma was to those he's close to. But her visible eye was dotted at the corner with tears.

"Attendant…"

"I'm gonna do my best there for you, and you're welcome to come with me any time."

Suddenly, the dorm was throwing a last-minute party for Sōma's acceptance in the AS coordinated by none than Yūki and Satoshi (threatened into a pair of pants again). The honey blonde in the room could only smile, watching the redhead boy.

" _Thank you… for being my Attendant."_


	11. Tōtsuki Spring Town Resort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opening of the Training Camp from Hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After so much writer's block and exerting many ideas for Food Souls, I have finally finished this chapter!

“No more… Please…”

“Can’t eat anymore…” If someone else saw Pancake and Steak in the pitiful state they were in, their reputations would be shattered on the spot. The two Food Souls were slumped onto the tables of Kyokusei’s dining hall, both on the verge of tears and emptying their overflowing stomachs. For the second time that day.

The first time was because of some black tea monkfish dish with black fungus, which neither of their stomachs agreed with. The second time, which could be happening in a few seconds, was just from eating too much.

“Definitely wouldn’t want to be in their shoes,” Bamboo Rice muttered to Yellow Wine and Sanma, who could only nod in agreement.

“It’s gonna be even worse since all the students will be off to Spring Town later today and gone for a few days,” Yellow followed. “Still, that doesn’t leave free time to Food Souls who have to stay behind.”

“It didn’t bother us when Master Attendant went last year,” Sanma commented.

“But that means there’s no Attendants to monitor Cookie. I’m surprised that those two look as slim as ever from how much food she made for them to try in the course of two weeks.”

“Where is she anyway?” the greenette wondered, noticing that the honey blonde hadn’t been going in and out of the kitchen in a while.

“Boys,” a voice called. Steak and Pancake instantly jumped in fear when the Food Soul in question stepped in with an annoyed stance and a large pouch.

“What’s the bag for, Cookie?” the grey haired Food Soul asked.

“Apparently, I’ve been requested to come along to the training camp because I’m some ‘chef of honor’ that the staff wants to meet. Which means I will gone for the next few days.”

“The next few days?” Pancake repeated, his voice giving away the relief he felt. He and Steak could finally have a break.

“Afraid so. That means that we’ll have to put your penalty on hold.”

“Wait, on hold?!” the two shouted in panic, shooting in from the tables.

“Th-that won’t be needed!” Steak insisted frantically. “You just, uh, enjoy yourself at Spring Town! Heard they have great hot springs there!”

“Not saying that most of the dishes you made weren’t delicious, they were, but you can use this opportunity to take a break!” Pancake added.

“I don’t know,” she replied. “By the way you two are sweating right now, I don’t need a hot spring.”

The men sputtered and nearly dropped in shock.

“Did she really…?” Yellow Wine muttered.

“I don’t  _ think _ she meant it like  _ that _ ,” Bamboo answered. The red eyed Food Souls’ faces were bright red and their jaws had dropped.

“Maybe you two need a cool bath instead, you’re releasing steam,” Cookie suggested in confusion.

“W-We’re… o-okay…” Pancake stammered, looking at the floor in embarrassment. Steak looked away from the honey blonde. “Again… just… focus on being away from classes…”

“O… kay…”

_ “This Food Soul will be our death,” _ Ikumi’s Food Souls thought.

* * *

 

A nearby stream created the perfect white noise in an isolated part of the bamboo forest where sunlight streamed into a hole in the forest floor. A large lake in the hole shimmered in the sun, and groups of lilies and lotuses floated along the edges of the lake. A smooth, lithe hand reached into the water and plucked one of the lotus flowers before pulling away calmly. The flower was placed in clear tub of water with many more and a lid on the side. The lid was carefully placed over the container and the tub was sealed tightly.

Bells started to chime softly, seemingly in rhythm to the white noise of the stream above. A breeze had entered the cenote, rattling the bells that hung on three small, red umbrellas floating upside down. A young man with pale skin, short pale brown hair, and pale green eyes hoisted the tub into a basket with a thick metal line around its handle. Keeping the line in place was a small, red and yellow diamond with a small hook.

“Okay, Mandy, it’s all you!” the man called to the top. Seconds later, the basket was being lifted up by the string. Up above, a little girl with large green eyes, orange and white hair in two long fronds and pointed ears on her head was pulling on her fishing pole with all of her might. The large fish she was riding pulled back with every bit of line they pulled up.

With one more push, she yanked the basket up over the ledge of the hole, and in doing so fell off of her fish. The basket landed safely and the contents of the container didn’t spill out. The girl sat and dusted off her imitation of a school uniform composed of a blue pleated skirt and green and white crop top. The girl went to the edge of the hole and peered down at the man on the bottom.

“I got it!” she let him know. “I will go up ahead to the resort! Don’t take too long with that patient of ours!”

“He’s sick, Mandy! And not with a normal illness! I can’t just leave him by himself! Just go!”

“Oh, alright! But then it’s your turn!” The orange-white haired girl shortened the line on her fishing pole and hopped onto her red-orange fish.

“Have fun!” The two were then off.

* * *

 

Yūki’s eyes were gleaming when the carriages had come into view of a large town dotted with hot springs and with hills and formations shaped like parts of a tea set. The land was shades of brown, orange, yellow and red with houses of white stone and red and brown tiled roofs. Looking at the land made Sōma think of home during spring.

“Is Sakurajima this beautiful, Sōma?” Megumi asked from next to him in their carriage, shared with Zenji, Shun and Cookie.

“The houses make it feel similar, though nothing beats home,” the redhead replied. He turned to the mauve haired teen with them. “Ibusaki-san, aren’t you from here in Spring Town?”

“Around the area, yeah,” Shun answered, keeping it short. “The hot springs’ steam is like smoke. I started out with steamed dishes before moving to smoking them once I was older.”

“One step at a time,” Cookie commented.

All of a sudden, one of the horses ahead of their carriage hollered and was moving frantically, scaring all of the other horses.

“H-hey, what’s going on?” Megumi yelped.

“Stay inside, Attendant!” Cookie jumped out the window of the carriage with ease and ran ahead of their horse. The redhead poked his head in surprise.

“Cookie, wait!”

The honey blonde didn’t hear the plea of her Master Attendant and found the cause of the horses’ panic. A menacing, towering man like figure with white hair, glowing red horns, very pale skin with red marks on his face and body littered with tattoos, crimson hands with sharp claws, and a scaly black, white furred tail was standing in their presence. The beast’s mere appearance was enough to cause panic from the horses and the students, and she could hear their screams.

“Crap…! An Aizen…!”

The Fallen Angel took notice of the Food Soul who was miniscule compared to it. Black fire began to burn in wisps around the draconic creature as it smirked and approached the honey blonde.

**“Well now *hic* we have a cute one here,”** the personification of alcohol mused.  **“Wasn’t expecting much when I saw some *hic* humans coming through. You make it worth it.”**

_ “Dammit… This Fallen Angel is out of my league. There’s no way I can fight this thing on my own. The least I can do is-” _

A large jar suddenly appeared in Aizen’s hands, which was then held out to Cookie.

“Huh?”

**“A peace offering. For a sweet thing like you.”**

_ "Drunk. The alcohol smell is more potent than usual. This Aizen is clearly drunk.” _

“Um… I appreciate it, but…”

**“Oh, don’t be like that. *hic* It’s not often that I-”** A bang went off and a light smashed into the Fallen Angel’s back. Aizen stumbled from the impact and Cookie quickly moved before it could flatten her.

“Is that any way to treat a girl who has obviously refused?” The girl’s red violet eyes found the piercing stare of a mauve haired Food Soul in whites, greys and black fur with a pistol in one hand. He was tall and charming, and was leaning against what looked like a floating throne (a gaudy one in the honey blonde’s opinion). The Food Soul had an aura of power, and didn’t look like it was for show.

“You’re… Champagne.”

“Indeed, Miss,” the pale gold eyed man replied with a grin. “You don’t seem to be one of the students on their way to the resort though. But if you were a Food Soul, you have violated orders.”

“Th-that’s because I was asked to come along. And then I saw that the horses were panicking, so I-” Cookie backed away more when she saw the Aizen begin to pick itself up. Its reptilian like red eyes glared at Champagne, and the Fallen Angel growled in drunken anger.

**“How dare you…!”**

“I am not in the mood to send pieces of you flying, so how about you leave these children alone,” the Ultra Rare commanded. There was a hiss from the Fallen Angel, and its big black tail became engulfed in flames and flicked itself towards Champagne.

A giant claw and a pale hand clamped down on the tail before it could hit the Magic Food Soul. The Aizen growled in confusion.

“About time someone asking for a fight showed up, though I hate that you work with fire.”

“You muscleheaded crustacean, I was trying to get it to go away,” Champagne stated.

“Don’t make me knock you down a peg later,  _ princess _ . Let me show you how to really get rid of a Fallen Angel!” The owner of the claw was able to lift the Aizen off the ground with ease, earning a stunned yelp from the gigantic beast of alcohol. Another claw jabbed the creature’s white chest, knocking the air out of the Aizen before the beast was flung very far from the carriages.

“Hi… Boston,” Cookie gulped in terror. Sure, let the muscly, red and black clad Food Soul with tousled white hair, piercing red eyes, menacing lobster pincers and antennas suddenly appear before the honey blonde so it would jog her memory as to why one must never be on the other end of his claws.

Boston Lobster, hearing a familiar voice, took his focus off of Champagne and looked at the confections Food Soul. His eyes widened for a moment before he was suddenly near her personal space, earning a startled squeak from the shorter Food Soul.

“This fragrance you have… Those tailor made clothes…” The powerful lobster being shook his head. “No, you can’t be her, can you? After all, many failed to get  _ her _ as a Food Soul, and that’s been for 70 years. And then that disappearing act 30 years ago, why would she show up now?”

“Uh… How are… Sweet and Salty? Not causing… too much work for you?” His eyes snapped onto hers in surprise.

“How do you…?”

“And Spicy Gluten, almost forgot about her.” Strong hands hoisted her off the ground, which got a scream out of the honey blonde. Suddenly, she was hanging over his shoulder and a laugh erupted from the white haired Food Soul.

“I didn’t believe it at first, but you really are that crazy girl I ran into all those decades ago! Still have that nice bod of yours despite how much you cook!”

“D-Don’t call me fat, you gutterbrain!” Cookie pounded a fist on his back in retaliation. “Who was it helping Sweet Tofu take care of those severe injuries of yours and stopped you from beheading him when he applied that medicine?!”

“That doesn’t apply to your weight at all! Come on, you’re coming with us!” Boston Lobster began walking the same direction of the carriages.

“H-hey, put me down already! I can walk!”

“You peasant, don’t you know how to hold a lady?” Cookie was suddenly yanked out of the red and black clad man’s hold and was now in Champagne’s lap.

“I’m not someone that needs to be carried around! My legs are working just fine!”

“You pompous bastard, don’t you know who she is?!” Boston Lobster yelled.

“I know that she smells a lot like sugar cookies fresh from the oven,” Champagne answered.

“Will you boys let me walk?! And where are you two taking me anyway?!”

“To the Tōtsuki Resort in Spring Town obviously.”

“Why?”

* * *

 

Gulp. A intimidating Food Soul for an intimidating man. Cookie found herself under the gaze of a tall, bulky tan man with a dark buzz cut, narrow grey eyes, and in a tailor made brown suit with a green tie and grey dress shoes. Boston Lobster had answered to him as soon as they reached the resort. It was quite a spectacle for the students that have now arrived.

“Welcome to Spring Town, Cookie,” the human greeted. “We’re very honored to have you here. My name is Gin Dōjima, Head Chef of the Tōtsuki Resort and of Board of Directors.”

“Uh…” The words dried up in her throat.

“I thought you were pulling my leg earlier when you said that Cookie was to be a special guest.” Pink eyes paired with multiple piercings on pale skin, black and white hair, paired with a rock punk like attire of pinks, creams and black walked up into the parking lot by the large, two-story building shaped like a picnic basket.

“If it isn’t the sweet talker himself,” Cookie commented, relaxing a bit from the stronger healing Food Soul’s entrance. “You look well, Sweety.”

“I believe I had asked you to not call me that, Buttercream.”

“Seriously? That old nickname again? It’s 60 years outdated.”

“I thought you found ‘Buttercup’ to be outdated. Or do you like ‘Sugar Pie’ after all?”

“I’d stop talking if I were you.” Boston Lobster snickered at the two.

“Cookie!” The four turned to find the honey blonde’s redhead Attendant rushing over. “What the heck, Cookie? It’s not like you to run off and not come back.”

“I apologize for that, Attendant. If not for two bonehead Food Souls, I would’ve returned to the carriage.”

“Attendant? This kid?” The red eyed Food Soul looked down at Sōma.

“A peasant has summoned someone of Cookie’s status?” Champagne questioned. He didn’t appear all that surprised to learn the honey blonde’s name, he actually greeted her more formally afterwards.

“Shut it, or I’m forcing that pistol down your throat,” she snapped. The mauve haired man flinched back in surprise.

“Never judge an Attendant by appearances alone,” Dōjima said. “You should also get back to your Attendant, Champagne.” With a click of his tongue, the gun wielding man went inside. “We should head in too with the others.”

Boston gave a huff, and Sweet Tofu chuckled at the stronger Food Soul’s response. Other than that, the two followed behind their Master Attendant without a word.

“Cookie, did you know some of those guys?” Sōma asked.

“I vaguely remember reading something on Champagne while I have some memories of encounters with Boston Lobster and Sweet Tofu on many occasions. Though I wasn’t expecting either of them to bow to an Attendant.”

“Huh. You sure got around a lot back then.”

_ “Boston Lobster and Sweet Tofu… Not who I was looking for exactly, but they at least know _ _her,"_ the redhead thought. _  "Maybe I can talk to them before camp ends.” _

* * *

 

The main hall was dead silent, the air tense and stiff with thousands of students inside.

“It’s going to start any moment,” Yūki murmured. “The training camp from Hell.”

“Oh, there’s M. Chapelle and Toast,” Cookie notified, looking towards the stage. The two blonde men were side by side, and Chapelle was standing behind a podium with a mic in hand.

“Good morning, everyone,” the teacher greeted. “I am relieved to see that none of you were harmed in that sudden Fallen Angel ambush just earlier. Now I will go into brief details about the training camp. For the next week, you will be in set in groups with different cooking challenges, testing your stamina and, as tradition, begin the basics of an important arsenal, Talents.”

“Talents? That was in the pamphlet for this trip, right?” Sōma asked his dormmates.

“Yeah, but only potential and current Master Attendants learn those skills,” Shun explained. “Mostly, first years with more combat effective Food Souls prioritize Talents after halfway in the semester, when the Food Souls’ area of specialty is sorted out. It allows them to be able to fight or help alongside their Food Souls when in danger.”

“So why doesn’t everyone learn these skills?”

“Crazy as it is, not everyone in Tierra can summon Food Souls,” Ryōko pointed out. “As it turns out, from latest research at the Academy, one must have a ‘spark’ of sorts in order to do a summoning. This was proven with several people trying to summon with the exact same materials, and only a few were successful.”

“So those with Food Souls have a ‘spark’ in them that makes the summoning work. That’s something new.”

“You just ignored the part where not meeting expectations means expulsion…?!” Megumi whimpered with tears.

“Will Miss Cookie please come onto the stage?” Chapelle called. “Our guest instructors have been looking forward to your presence.”

“Guest instructors…?” the honey blonde wondered.

“You better head up there,” her red haired Master Attendant suggested. With a shrug, Cookie made her way to the front and went up the steps at the side to join the two.

“Now then, these instructors are greatly busy, but they put their careers aside to coordinate this event. Please welcome the graduates of the Tōtsuki Culinary Guild!”

Many of the students gasped and gawked in shock at the notion.

“Graduates that joined the Royal Chefs Guild in Hilena and made their own names all over Tierra?” Zenji exclaimed, looking more excited than nervous.

A flood of people enter the stage from the side, half of them accompanied by several Food Souls with their own special features. Dojima was at the front of the pack, with Boston Lobster, Sweet Tofu and a Food Soul strikingly mirrored to him right behind him. Cookie decided to move over to the group. The mirror, red version to Sweet Tofu’s pink looked at her with a smirk.

“What do you know?” he chuckled quietly.

“Good to see you here too, Salts.”

“So those are people who graduated and moved on to join the Royal Chefs Guild,” Sōma took in. “I’ve read up on the HQ of the guilds at least. Takes quite the brains to make it to graduation in this school though.”

“You can say Tōtsuki is a training guild for future guild members,” the fuschia haired girl informed.

“Hey, there’s Champagne.” The redhead noticed the long haired Food Soul without his throne and standing close to a young man with coral colored hair and brown framed glasses. The man with the red ascot had an air of strict authority as he lifted his head up.

“You there, red hair with the scar above the eye,” he called out. Sōma noticed that the man was looking right him, and he seemed surprised. “Sorry, not you. The student on your right. You’re expelled.” A few shocked gasps, including from the individual, followed.

“B-but why?”

“That product in your hair can be smelled all the way over here, and that can get in the way in you’re cooking.” The honey blonde Food Soul looked at the man as if he was anything but human. No normal human or Food Soul could smell something that faint from across such a large room with so many people.

“Th-that’s ridiculous! I’m getting expelled over that small detail?!”

Then, the alumnus had a scary, almost murderous scowl on his face that made even Cookie and a few of the other alumni’s Food Souls flinch in fear. Champagne was the only one smirking like this was some comedy skit.

“That ‘small detail’ can run out any customers you have any chance of getting. Are you trying to run my restaurant into the ground?” The accused student was trembling in terror at this point. The coral haired man smirked and gave a dismissive wave. “You may go now.”

“Boston, who is that jerk?” the honey blonde asked the towering, red clad Food Soul quietly.

“Kojirō Shinomiya, who came from the other side of Tierra just to pursue an education at Tōtsuki and a business, which got him the highest award that can be awarded,” the crustacean Food Soul explained. “Bit of a brat, if you ask me. And if you haven’t guessed already, that primped bigshot Champagne is his Food Soul.”

“I figured as much.”

“Oh, so the gossip that reached all the way to Gloriville was being real.” A silver haired man with a fox like grin in a grey shirt and matching hakama, a black haori, accessories with bacon patterns and a basket of vegetables on his back approached the four. “Cookie, a Rare graded Food Soul yet almost impossible to summon, has become a member of the Guild.”

“My, she is adorable, don’t you think Master Attendant?” a brunette woman with a large bowl and little red plums following her commented. Her attire was a green and white kimono with a deep green obi. No one responded to the woman though. “Hm? Master Attendant?”

“She’s over there with Donata.” The silver haired Food Soul pointed to the crowd, where a blonde man and a young woman were doting over poor Megumi, who looked completely freaked out by their presence.

“I have to say that is is an honor to meet you during this camp, Miss Cookie,” a much older man in the bunch of alumni came up and greeted the honey blonde.

“It is really is surprising that the legendary chef who has bested many former 1st Seats is now here,” a woman with short, blue-grey hair stated.

“Uh, it’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” Cookie replied, feeling overwhelmed by the attention.

“Uh, Master Attendant,” a blonde, green eyed Food Soul with a large flag and festive clothes called to the woman, “Toast is scowling, and so is M. Chapelle.”

“Don’t mind them, Pizza. It’s just introductions.”

“I am Hitoshi Sekimori, and this is my companion Sushi,” the older man introduced himself and the long, blacked hair Food Soul in bright reds, oranges and purples behind him. “This is Fuyumi Mizuhara and her Food Soul, Pizza.” The green eyed Food Soul and the blue-grey haired woman waved. “We run our own restaurants in different locations of Gloriville. If you find the time with your Attendant, come by anytime.”

“I will… be sure to remember that.”

“Ahem.” Toast continued glaring at the group. “If we may move along. You can continue introductions tonight.”

“Right.” He group backed away from the honey blonde as Dōjima took the mic from Chapelle.

Cookie had tuned out his opening speech as she looked over the crowd of students.

_ “This is it, Attendant. You better make it through this living hell of a training camp.” _

“... And if you don’t meet our standards, you’re fired,” Dōjima closed with a thumb swipe across his neck.

The training camp from Hell had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The out-of-place section will come into play soon.


	12. The Makings of a Rival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been so long since I posted a chapter! I'm sorry it took so long! I get a sentence down and then hit a writer's block!

It took an hour long carriage ride to reach the first testing grounds in the a large area of land owned by the resort. Everyone filed into the venue and went into the kitchen area. A young woman in her late twenties with dark brown hair, purple eyes and wearing a navy blue kosode under a white, sleeved apron with ruffles sat down at the front of the class with a tray of orange rice crackers and tea on her right. Sitting to her left were the two Food Souls during the opening introduction.

“I’m so relieved to be paired up with you for this, Sōma!” Megumi cheered with tears as she rushed to her partner.

“Ah, so we’re partnered same as the start of the semester,” the redhead noticed.

Suddenly, a sleek black shoe stamped on Sōma’s foot, catching the bluenette and the honey blonde Food Soul off guard. The perpetrator was a blonde boy slightly taller than Megumi with blue eyes and in white chef’s uniform unlike the Tōtsuki chef uniform. Standing a foot behind him was another boy who was taller and chubbier with spiky brown hair and wearing an identical uniform to the light blonde boy.

The light blonde had a challenging smirk on his face as he continued to grind his foot into the redhead’s.

“I see you’re trying to get my attention if you’ve been grinding into my foot for ten seconds,” he stated.

“And I am,” the other boy replied. “I have been looking forward to facing off with you, but I didn’t expect to on our first challenge. Today will be the day I crush you just like I’m doing with your shoe.”

In the background, poor Megumi was panicking over the glaring contest from the two and Cookie was ready to step in if it went over just the foot grinding.

“I’m happy that it will be me who gets to destroy you, Yukihira.”

“Is that so?” Sōma replied calmly. He was starting to look a bit irritated behind that smirk on his face. “Well, we’ll see, but if you don’t get off of me, I’ll do it or you.”

“Now that everyone is situated, let me do some introductions,” the woman at the front announced, breaking the tension in the room. “I am Hinako Inui of the restaurant  _ Kirinoya _ located in Nozokyo. I am joined here today by my assistants, Sukiyaki and Ume Ochazuke.”

“It’s a pleasure to see this many young people before they’re left to a dwindling few,” the grey haired Food Soul greeted, with a dark humor at the end.

“Things never change though, Sukiyaki,” the brunette Food Soul pointed out. “Same as every year.”

A cold chill came over the whole room, the only ones unaffected being Sōma and his Food Soul.

“You mind saying that a bit more bluntly next time?” the honey blonde asked, sarcasm heavily lacing the question.

“Oh, don’t pay too much mind to their humor, Cookie,” Hinako requested with a smile. “They’re always like this.” She stood up to address the class more directly. “For this test, you and your partner must make a dish within the chosen category of my choice. Once you are done preparing your dish, I will be judging. If your dish is delicious, you will pass.”

“Tell them a little astronomical term, Master Attendant,” Sukiyaki suggested.

“Well, they’ll need to know if they hope to pass. As you hopefully know, many of our foods including the very Food Souls that some of you have acquired are based on the very cuisine from another world that we seem to have a form of connection to. The theme of the dish that you must make falls under the cuisine named after one of the countries of this other world. The theme is Japanese cuisine.”

“In summary, it’s not much different from cuisine here in Light Kingdom or Sakurajima,” Ume pointed out.

“There are a set of ingredients that you are allowed to use, and they’re right over there.” The alumnus gestured to window, but the class just saw a barren table.

“Oh, a scavenger hunt of sorts,” Cookie noted with a voice of approval.

“Exactly on point, Cookie. It really is a thrill that you could catch on so quickly.”

“So wait, we have to get the ingredients ourselves?” a student asked.

“That is part of the task. You can use any ingredients you find within the boundaries of the area. If you venture beyond the fence, then you’re immediately expelled. Though I doubt you would want to go outside the Fallen Angel-warding fence, especially without your Food Soul if you even have one.” Hinako had said all that so calmly, a feeling of dread befell the room. “This building has all the other equipment you’ll need with seasonings, cooking utensils, and you’re even open to use the supplies in the fishing shed.

“Your group has two hours to find your ingredients and create a dish that I will like. So let’s begin. Good luck to all of you.”

There was a moment of pause, before it caught up with everyone that the test had started. Students rushed out into the wilderness, panic rising up in them.

“Yukihira, I challenge you.” The three turned to the light blonde, who was still in the room along with the spiky brunette.

“Right now?”

“We’re going to see who's cooking is superior. Chef Inui will be our deciding judge.”

“Why would I do that?” Hinako questioned. “It’s not related to the challenge, so I don’t have to.”

The tension was once again broken, and the Food Souls tried to hold back their mirth. Megumi looked a bit confused and Sōma was grinning in laughter. The brunette student was straight up laughing, tearing up while he tried to cover his mouth.

“You’re such a dork, Bro!” he said in between his chortles.

“Shut up! Why are  _ you  _ laughing?!” the light blonde snapped.

_ “These two are siblings?” _ the three thought with shock.

The light blonde kept making frustrated aggravations as the taller boy dragged him off.

“We’ll be right back, Cookie, so sit tight,” the redhead Attendant informed after a moment before he set out with Megumi at his side.

“My, you sure have an interesting Master Attendant, Cookie,” the brunette Attendant commented with a warm cup of tea in hand. “He didn’t at all look flustered over the task at hand.”

“Heh, this is a really ruthless challenge you set up, Inui,” the twin haired girl replied. “No baseline of what you’re expecting, looking for things to cook with on the spot, all while trying to keep an even leveled head is not as easy as it looks, especially when you are in an unknown area and don’t know where to look. It’s a basic test of personality, but effective in weeding out unworthy students. But Attendant Sōma never expected this school to be easy.”

“Still, that adorable girl who’s his partner seemed to be on the edge of a panic attack,” Sukiyaki pointed out. “Wasn’t she the girl you were checking out with Donata, Master Attendant?”

“She really is cute, isn’t she?”

“Tadokoro may have an anxiety issue, but when she’s very focused, her dishes are both delicious and refreshing,” Cookie complimented the bluenette with a fond smile.

“Dear, why don’t you come sit with us?” Ume Ochazuke offered. “No need for you to be standing up the whole time.”

“Might as well.” Feeling that sitting next to the two mischievous would only lead to trouble, the honey blonde sat down to the left of Hinako’s tray.

* * *

Around half an hour later, with two cups of green tea, three bags of rice crackers and small chatter between the four in between, the first few teams groups returned to the classroom with buckets and baskets of ingredients. The smell of fish instantly hit Cookie’s nose, and she sighed.

“I was expecting this too,” she commented with an air of disappointment. “Fish on fish, and on more fish. Typical thinking.”

“What’d she say?!” one of the students angrily snapped.

“I didn’t see  _ her _ out there scrambling to find ingredients!” another rudely threw out.

“As if I would let Cookie go out of her way to make a dish when she’s the guest of honor, and not to mention she would make the best dish out of everyone in this room,” Hinako bluntly stated, making the students back away from the honey blonde’s comment. Following in a few minutes later were Sōma and Megumi, who also carried a bucket.

“I think you might need to retract your earlier comment, dear,” Ume said. “Looks like your Master Attendant and Tadokoro are using fish too.”

“I just don’t expect the others to think outside the box when it comes to preparing it.” In truth, Cookie had a suspicion that there was one particular group that would be different form the rest.

True to thought, the duo from before finally entered the room. The light blonde once more held a smirk on his face as he looked around the room. The brunette partnered with him had a cooler in his arms.

“The theme is Japanese and so everyone is using fish,” he commented. “What else could I have not expected.”

Cookie chose to hold her tongue and let the snarks from the other students do the talking. After a moment, the two revealed the contents of the cooler, which was a perfectly skinned and cleaned duck meat.

“There was more than just fish out there. We saw several chickens and rabbits as well in the fence area. Of course, none of you would think to use those.”

The blue eyed boy placed a hand on Sōma’s shoulder as he walked by. The redhead’s eyes widened slightly in realization of something. The honey blonde Food Soul was able to catch the reaction, and she slowly stood up and approached the pair.

“Is your name Takumi, the Master Attendant of the Food Soul Zuppa Toscana?” she inquired. The boy’s blue eyes gleamed with pride and he gave a confident smile.

“Oh that’s right, Zuppa and Cassata had the luck of meeting you on the first day of class, and the open invitation to a challenge from them any time. So you realize who we are now.”

The confection Food Soul could only give a nod as the larger brother had quickly and masterfully cut up the duck. The whole room was mesmerized by how in sync the two were and swift in preparing their dish.

“Attendant.”

“Yeah, I noticed too,” the redhead answered, watching closely. “Those hands… have clearly shown that they have high experience in the kitchen.”

The duck was quickly placed into the oven after the amounts of seasoning.

“We haven’t properly introduced ourselves yet,” Takumi realized. “As Cookie had said, my name is Takumi, Takumi Aldini. This is my twin brother.”

“I’m Isami Aldini,” the spiky brunette introduced himself.

“We have had our experience in the kitchen while working at our family’s  _ Trattoria _ in Parisel.”

“‘ _ Trattoria _ ’... that’s a foreign word that is applied to high end bistros for the masses,” Cookie pointed out.

“That’s right. Yukihira and I aren’t that different.” Takumi showed the three his left sleeve, where a motif in white embroidery was finally noticed. “Same as you, I am also here in order to help my family restaurant. I’m not like the ones you’ve pointed out during the opening ceremony. You’ve established yourself as a pro, and your Food Soul further established that with her outburst. Which is why I won’t allow myself to lose to you. Aldini vs. Yukihira. I want to see which family has the better restaurant.”

The entire class was amazed when the light blonde pulled out a two handled, curved knife and reduced the greens to paste.

“A mezzaluna… a knife more common on the border of Gloriville and Palata,” Cookie muttered. “These two know what they’re doing to be able to wield that.”

It wasn’t even an hour later when the duck dish was completed.

“You two are the first ones done,” Hinako commented.

“Of course, a policy is to always be quick and nimble,” Takumi explained.

The dish looked simple enough to the normal eye, but a better look at the sauce and one could see that this was a dish fit for the highest of aristocrats. Hinako was in complete bliss from the first bite.

“Sukiyaki, Ume, you’ve got to try this,” she encouraged. The two eyed the duck for a moment before going along with their Attendant’s offer, and the moment the mallard hit their tongue, they were amazed.

“This sauce is made entirely out of ingredients used in the Light Kingdom,” the brunette Food Soul notified. “The flavors are balanced so well against the texture of the duck.”

“It’s almost as if the duck itself is giving a solo on a stage for millions,” Sukiyaki commented. “Normally, Ume and I can't stand overly complicated flavors, but this is one that I could eat any day.”

“And there you have it,” the alumnus concluded. “Takumi and Isami Aldini, you’ve passed.”

“ _ Grazie _ !”

“They were able to make a passing dish in such a short time,” Megumi muttered, amazed.

“Yukihira, now that you’ve seen that I’m at your level, then you have no reason to not accept my challenge,” Takumi taunted. Smirking, Cookie tugged gently at Hinako’s sleeve, getting her attention so the Food Soul could whisper something into her ear. The brunette alumnus smiled and nodded to whatever suggestion the honey blonde gave.

“In that case, I will accept in judging this cook off between the two teams,” she began, drawing the attention back to her. “I will judge on which restaurant has given me the more delicious dish. And for the fun of it, let’s throw in a penalty. The losing team… will have to bow 50 times to the winner and say, ‘You’re the better chef’ each time.”

The faces of the boys paled and Megumi looked on the verge of another panic attack. Cookie was also stunned, staring at the brunette woman.

“Well, except Todakoro and Cookie, of course. I wouldn’t want such adorable girls getting soiled over something like this.”

“That doesn’t really help, Inui,” the honey blonde mumbled unsurly. Her red violet eyes went to her Attendant, who seemed stone faced for a moment before a smirk came up.

“Inui-senpai, we’re allowed to anything within the walls of the fence, right?” the redhead asked. “Even something brought in from the outside?”

“Well, it still counts as being in the boundaries, so yes.”

“Alright. Then I know exactly what I’ll make for this challenge. All I need is a special ingredient here.” Sōma took gradual steps towards Hinako, and the present smirk on his face made her Food Souls tense up and prepare to defend their master at the worst. “And it’s right in between you two.”

Several pairs of eyes wandered down to the tray of tea and the bag of rice crackers that the four had been snacking on.

“Rice crackers?” Megumi questioned in confusion.

“She said it’s fine so have at it,” Cookie commented, picking up the bag and tossing it to her Attendant, much to Hinako’s protest.

“Sorry to ask you this, but can you hold on to these for me?” Sōma asked Takumi, handing the rice crackers up to him.

“Uh…” The light blonde looked very confused as he held the plastic bag.

“We need to make another run for some more ingredients.” And just like that, the duo of Sōma and Megumi dashed out the door again.

* * *

“This doesn’t taste good. Make it again.” Cookie couldn’t help the pity she felt for the large number of students that were turned down. Only a few teams had passed in the past 30 or so minutes. The aura she emitted matched her Food Souls perfectly with that cold, chilling feeling the honey blonde got just from sitting next to her. That should be why she was called “Empress of the Mist” back when she was still a Tōtsuki student.

The confection Food Soul decided that she would also give a taste test of the latest fish dish served, and her face wrinkled the moment it was placed in her mouth.

“The texture is bland, the flavors of the seasonings aren’t coming through, and the presentation is poor, making it even less appetizing,” she confirmed. “Is this dish really made by Tōtsuki students? Because I’ve seen even inexperienced people make a better fish than this.”

_ “That’s even worse coming from you,” _ the student mind thought, degrading their confidence more.

“Don’t forget that you can make your dishes as many times as you need until the time is up,” Sukiyaki reminded everyone. Immediately, the failing students rushed out of the lecture hall.

“It’s a good thing we chose duck for our dish, right Bro?” Isami asked. While the brunette was calm as ever, his twin was starting to look irritated as he stared out the hall door.

_ “You’d think that Cassata was Takumi’s Food Soul instead of Isami’s by their personalities,” _ Cookie thought to herself.

“Hey, if they don’t show up, we will win off the bat.”

“That’s not happening,” the honey blonde spoke up. “Attendant Sōma never turns down a challenge, especially for those who he sees as equal.” As if on cue, the redhead and bluenette duo arrived back, a little out of breath from their foraging.

“You guys only have 15 minutes left!” Takumi yelled. “Are you really trying to lose despite your Food Soul sticking up for you?!”

“Ah. You’ve smashed the rice crackers, Bro,” the chubbier twin pointed out. The light blonde’s hand had instinctively clenched into a fist, crushing the bag of rice crackers he was holding.

“I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean to tamper with your ingredients-”

“It’s fine. It actually saves us some time.” Before anyone could ask, Sōma plucked the snack bag from Takumi. “And if my customers had to wait 15 minutes for their food, they might as well take off to another restaurant.”

It was a beautiful partnership to watch, one that Cookie hardly got to see as Food Souls were in other classes from their Attendants. They weren’t as fluent as the twins were, but they didn’t miss a beat. And in only five minutes, Sōma and Megumi were presenting their dish, which had the fish fried and breaded with the crushed rice crackers.

Hinako looked very intrigued in trying it, and the telling crunch of the crackers on the fish was all the confection Food Soul needed to hear. The brunette alumnus looked like she was in complete bliss, just like with the Aldinis’ dish. What sealed the deal to Cookie was when she tried it again but with the creamy, yellow sauce the duo made. She remembered once making a sauce like that.

Wasn’t there someone she knew… who knew a lot about utilizing eggs in dishes? There was the sudden flash of a platter with yellow dots speckled brown in her mind, which made her heart leap for some reason. The look on her face must’ve been telling of her surprise, which didn’t go unnoticed by Sukiyaki.

“Falling for your Attendant, Cookie?” The grey haired Food Soul teased.

“Huh? Attendant? No,” she stated bluntly. “I just remembered a dish that had a similar color to the sauce.” Sukiyaki stared back in confusion, not expecting the straightforward response.

“Sōma Yukihira and Megumi Todakoro, you pass,” Hinako announced. The duo gave each other a high five.

“Happy to serve!”

* * *

The remaining five minutes passed by, and the students who passed were weeping in relief. Meanwhile, the ones that had failed were wilted on the floor.

“Now, Inui-senpai, your judgement,” Takumi reminded.

The air became more tense as the two young diner chefs awaited the verdict. The brunette alumnus looked like she was thinking hard on her decision.

Though the class and the Food Souls started to get annoyed when she was about to say the winner and then reconsider her answer.

Suddenly, a light flew through the open window and onto the floor with a boom, scaring many of the students. The Food Souls got into position in case they were being attacked. 

“Oh no! That was from Champagne!” Hinako realized in horror. “Is it that time already to finish up?! If we don’t hurry back to the resort, Shinomiya-senpai will be really upset!”

“But what about your verdict?” Takumi asked, worried that the match would be undecided.

Which was pretty much what happened, and the woman and her Food Souls dashed out the door.

“She just dodged the question and ran off!” the two boys fretted, unable to believe that their upperclassman pulled that on them.

“This is not over in the least!” the light blonde proclaimed, flustered over the situation. “Yukihira, we will one day decide who is the better chef!”

“Okay, sure,” Sōma replied, unimpressed. “But how you plan to get the win?”

“A Shokugeki.” The way that the blue eyed boy said it so seriously had Cookie smirking behind a hand.

Master Attendant and Food Soul couldn’t be more different in personality, but their talents were on equal ground.

“The next time we meet, we will find out who is the best at their family roots. So you better hone your skills to the utmost perfection.” With that, the twins walked out of the room to the carriages.

* * *

 

Isami and Cookie were doing a poor job at concealing their laughter at the realization that after that huge speech (a declaration of war for the most part), the two teams and Food Soul were in the same carriage.

“Should we have our battle now?” Sōma asked smugly. Takumi buried his flushed face in his hands, completely embarrassed.

“Shut up! Don’t talk to me!”

* * *

 

Meanwhile, back at the resort, the orange haired girl made it to the front door, with the tub still on the end of her fishing pole. She pulled in at the desk so casually like she was used to it.

“Lotus delivery, freshly picked lotus blossoms,” the girl announced.

“Oh, Miss Mandarin, Dōjima-san is waiting for you in his quarters,” the secretary informed with a fond smile. “You can drop the lotuses off in the kitchens on your way.”

“Thank you!” With that, Mandarin floated along on her fish towards the main kitchen on the ground floor. Unknown to her, Sweet Tofu was following from behind at a distance. It was just in his nature to stalk for his amusement.

**Author's Note:**

> The biography for the main Food Soul OC is on Fanfiction, and I will move it here at a later date. My Fanfiction name is Soul Rider if you want to look on Fanfiction.
> 
> If you have ideas for OCs that you want in the story, let me know! I will be sure to add you under co-creator if you wish! Just give the description (appearance and personality), rarity and type. If you want to give me their backstory or let me come up with one, notify me of that too.


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